The Role of Employee Ambition in the Effect of Perceived Supervisor and Coworker Support on Innovative Work Behavior

Abstract

Purpose – This study aims to examine the effect of perceived supervisor and coworker support on innovative work behavior among private-sector employees, as well as the mediating role of employee ambition in this relationship.
Design/methodology/approach – This quantitative study employs a correlational survey approach and includes a sample of 916 private-sector employees from different occupational fields in Konya, Türkiye. Convenience and snowball sampling methods were utilized, and participants were accessed via an online questionnaire. The data obtained within the scope of the study were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with IBM SPSS AMOS 23 software.
Results – The analyses revealed that perceived supervisor support influences innovative work behavior both directly (β = .093, p = .011) and indirectly through ambition (β = .064, p = .013). In other words, ambition was found to play a partial mediating role in the relationship between perceived supervisor support and innovative work behavior. In contrast, although perceived coworker support had a significant direct effect on innovative work behavior (β = .112, p = .002), its relationship with ambition was not significant (β = –.040, p = .353), indicating that ambition does not mediate this relationship. Additionally, employee ambition has a strong and positive effect on innovative work behavior (β = .528, p < .001).
Discussion – The results suggest that innovative work behavior varies depending on sources of support. Specifically, supervisor support appears to be effective through motivational processes such as employee ambition, whereas the effect of coworker support may be shaped through different mechanisms.