Factors influencing innovative work behavior among teachers in the higher education sectors in China: The role of work engagement as a mediator and artificial intelligence as a moderator

The modernization of Chinese higher education relies heavily on fostering innovative work behavior (IWB) among university teachers. However, the crucial role of non-intellectual and external factors has often been overlooked, contributing to insufficient innovative outcomes. Drawing on self-determination theory and social exchange theory, this study develops a research model where career calling (CC) and talent policy (TP) serve as independent variables, IWB as the dependent variable, work engagement (WE) as a mediating variable, and artificial intelligence (AI) as a moderating variable to explore effective ways to stimulate IWB. The authors conducted a two-wave online questionnaire survey among 252 university teachers in China, analyzing the data using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings reveal that CC and TP are significantly associated with WE, which, in turn, positively influences IWB. Moreover, AI acts as a moderating variable, strengthening the relationship between WE and IWB. This study makes valuable contributions to the literature on IWB, enriches the theoretical foundations of CC andTP in higher education contexts, and offers practical recommendations for leveraging AI strategies within the sector.