Fostering organizational innovation capability through transformational leadership and creativity in public educational institutions: moderating roles of AI-enabled job complexity and innovation climate

Purpose This paper aims to examine how transformational leadership drives organizational innovation capability (OIC) through the mediating role of individual creativity and the moderating effects of artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled job complexity and innovation climate in Vietnamese public educational institutions. Design/methodology/approach Partial least squares structural equation modeling is employed to analyze data from key employees in public educational institutions across Vietnam. Findings Transformational leadership significantly enhances OIC, both directly and indirectly through individual creativity. Moreover, AI-enabled job complexity positively moderates the influence of transformational leadership on individual creativity, while innovation climate positively moderates the effect of individual creativity on OIC. Research limitations/implications Future studies could investigate how other AI-enabled job characteristics influence the relationship between distinct leadership styles and innovation outcomes across organizational climates. Practical implications The findings provide actionable insights for educational leaders and policymakers on how to cultivate innovation by aligning leadership practices with employee creativity and digital transformation initiatives. Originality/value This research fills a gap in the literature by revealing how transformational leadership directly and indirectly fosters OIC. It also highlights the roles of AI-enabled job complexity and innovation climate in enhancing leadership effectiveness.