Driving Public Sector Innovation: Impact of Leadership and Motivation on Empowerment and Innovative Behavior in Immigration Services

Innovation in public sector institutions is critical to enhancing service quality and meeting the evolving demands of society. This study examines the impact of transformational leadership and public service motivation on psychological empowerment and innovative work behavior among employees of the Directorate General of Immigration in Indonesia. Utilizing a quantitative approach, data were collected from 200 civil servants through structured questionnaires and analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). The results indicate that transformational leadership and public service motivation significantly influence psychological empowerment, which in turn positively affects innovative work behavior. Additionally, both transformational leadership and public service motivation have direct positive effects on innovative work behavior. This study highlights the importance of empowering employees through effective leadership and fostering motivation to drive innovation in public sector organizations. The findings provide valuable insights for policymakers and managers aiming to improve innovation and performance in government services.