Transforming engagement into innovation: learning goal orientation as a key psychological mechanism in manufacturing organisations

Abstract Extant research has established a positive association between work engagement and innovative work behaviour, however the psychological mechanisms underlying this association remain insufficiently understood. Drawing on Broaden-and-Build Theory, the present study examines a motivational-learning mechanism in which employees’ work engagement fosters a learning goal orientation that in turn promotes innovative work behaviour. Survey data were collected from 146 full-time employees (mean age = 31.16 years, SD = 3.21) in manufacturing companies. The results of Process Macro Model 4 demonstrated that learning goal orientation significantly mediated the association between work engagement and innovative work behaviour. The result indicates that engaged employees are more likely to adopt a growth-oriented learning mindset that facilitates the generation and implementation of novel ideas. The present study advances the literature on bottom-up innovation by identifying learning goal orientation as a key psychological pathway linking work engagement to innovative work behaviour. Practically, the findings highlight the importance of fostering employees’ work engagement and learning goal orientation through continuous learning opportunities to enhance their innovative work behaviour, thereby strengthening employees’ competitiveness in increasingly dynamic and transformative manufacturing environments.