Purpose Employee voice has emerged as a strong predictor of positive organizational outcomes. Grounding the theoretical model in resource-based theory; this study conceptualizes how high-performance work system (HPWS) can enhance organizational innovation of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) through voice behaviors. Specifically, the purpose of this paper is to empirically test if employee voice mediates the relationship between HPWS and organizational innovation. Design/methodology/approach This study used a quantitative strategy and cross-sectional survey method for the collection of data from SMEs operating in Pakistan. A list of SMEs was obtained from the federal government organization responsible for the development of SMEs in Pakistan. A self-administered structured questionnaire was distributed and 239 randomly selected SMEs responded to the survey. Findings Findings confirmed the conceptualized model and revealed that HPWS was significantly and positively related to employee voice and organizational innovation. Employee voice was found as a significant predictor of organizational innovation and mediating factor in the relationship between HPWS and organizational innovation. Research limitations/implications This study is limited in terms of variables included in the conceptual model and relatively small size of the sample that was derived from a single federal organization. More variables and SMEs can be included in future studies to get broader results and, potentially, better findings. Practical implications SME managers/owners can design HR function in such a way that employees will be encouraged to raise their voice and participate more in the organization. Scholars should study voice behaviors distinct from citizenship behaviors. Originality/value This study is the first of its kind to conceptualize the relationship between HPWS, employee voice, and organizational innovation in SMEs of Pakistan.

Purpose This study aims to investigate the impact of transformational leadership on the innovation of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) through employee voice behaviors. Drawing from the upper echelon theory, it is hypothesized that employee voice is the mediating mechanism through which transformational leadership affects the process and product innovation in SMEs. Design/methodology/approach Data was collected from 169 SMEs of Pakistan through an online self-administered questionnaire. The proposed hypotheses were tested using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Findings Findings confirm that transformational leadership positively affects both process and product innovation in SMEs and employee voice behavior mediates between these relationships. Originality/value This research contributes to both theoretical and practical domains by providing evidence that encouraging employees to raise their voice positively impacts product and process innovation and transformational leadership is a potential organizational factor to shape employee voice and process and product innovation. To the best knowledge, this is the first study that investigates the mediating role of employee voice between transformational leadership and process and product innovation in SMEs and developing country’s context.