Impacts of ethical leadership, innovative climate on project success: the role of innovative behavior and time pressure

Purpose This study aims to explore how ethical leadership and innovative climate impact project success through employees innovative behavior. In addition, based on the conservation of resources theory, this study also examines whether time pressure moderates the innovative work behavior and project success nexus. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 403 employees working in Vietnam's information technology (IT) companies. The partial least squares structural equation modeling was used to investigate the impact of ethical leadership and innovative climate on project success, the mediating effect of innovative behavior and the moderating role of time pressure. Findings Empirical findings indicate that ethical leadership and innovative climate positively impact on project success. Moreover, employees' innovative behavior has a complementary effect on these relationships. In addition, time pressure moderates the nexus between innovative work behavior and project success. Practical implications The findings suggest that IT companies can promote innovative work behavior among employees by building ethical leadership and enhancing an innovative climate. Moreover, when designing and implementing a project, project managers should take care to allow enough time for innovative behavior within the team. Originality/value This inquiry is probably the first attempt to explore the mechanism linking ethical leadership and innovative climate to project success, with the mediating role of employees' innovative behavior. Additionally, time pressure is an increasingly relevant factor in contemporary business, but so far little explored in research. This study extends the current knowledge by considering the moderating role of time pressure in the innovative behavior and project success nexus.