Stimulating Salesperson's Innovative Work Behavior: A Study of Microfinance Institutions in Indonesia

Abstract

In today's uncertain market environment, salesperson innovative work behavior (IWB) has become critical for business sustainability. This research aims to develop a conceptual model for explaining the process of how psychological empowerment, learning goal orientation (LGO), and core self-evaluations (CSE) leverages salespersons' IWB by investigating the potential mediating of knowledge sharing. The participants were 279 salespeople working at microfinance institutions (MFIs) in Central Java, Indonesia. The results revealed that psychological empowerment and LGO are positively related to a salesperson's IWB. Knowledge sharing shares a mediating effect on the relationship between psychological empowerment and LGO on IWB. However, CSE has a nonsignificant effect on the salesperson's IWB. The findings provide a new perspective in understanding the intervening mechanisms underlying psychological empowerment and individual characteristic of a salesperson's IWB. This present study also contributes to the human resource practice regarding nurturing a work environment that stimulates salesperson' IWB.