Leader knowledge sharing behavior and follower creativity: the role of follower information exchange and proactive personality

Purpose The purpose of this research is to explore information exchange as an underlying mechanism to link leader knowledge sharing behavior with follower creativity. To fully understand this association, this research aims to investigate the moderating role of follower proactive personality. Design/methodology/approach This research gathers data from 303 full-time employees working at information technology organizations in Vietnam. Structural equation modeling was used to test hypotheses. Findings The results showed that leader knowledge sharing behavior positively impacted follower creativity. Moreover, follower information exchange mediated this relationship. Furthermore, follower proactive personality positively moderated the effects of leader knowledge sharing behavior and follower information exchange on follower creativity. Originality/value This study is one of the first papers to explore follower information exchange as a cognitive mechanism linking leader knowledge sharing behavior with follower creativity. This paper reveals how the dynamics of leader–follower knowledge dynamics translate into creative outcomes in organizations. This research also provides further evidence that follower proactive personality reinforces the effects of leader knowledge sharing behavior and follower information exchange on follower creativity.