Benevolent leadership as a driver of teacher knowledge sharing: mediating mechanisms from a conservation of resources perspective

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine whether benevolent leadership is associated with teacher knowledge sharing and to investigate the mediating roles of relational energy and work engagement in this relationship. Teacher knowledge sharing is a fundamental component of school knowledge management. While prior research has established leadership as a crucial determinant of knowledge-sharing behavior, most studies have predominantly examined leadership styles rooted in Western cultural contexts. Design/methodology/approach The authors conducted a survey in Taiwan (n = 383), a society shaped by Confucian values and embedded within the wider Chinese cultural context. Findings The results indicate that benevolent leadership is positively associated with teacher knowledge sharing. Furthermore, relational energy and work engagement mediate the association between benevolent leadership and teacher knowledge sharing in a serial manner. Research limitations/implications By introducing benevolent leadership into the teacher knowledge-sharing literature and integrating conservation of resources (COR) theory, this study extends leadership research beyond Western paradigms, and offers novel theoretical and practical contributions. Practical implications When leaders show genuine care and support for teachers, they are associated with higher levels of relational energy and work engagement, which are in turn linked to greater knowledge sharing. Leadership training should therefore highlight benevolence to strengthen professional learning communities. Originality/value Grounded in the COR theory, this study investigates the association of benevolent leadership − grounded in a non-Western cultural context − on teacher knowledge sharing, with particular attention to the mediating roles of relational energy and work engagement.