Exploring the Mechanisms Linking Digital Leadership to Employee Creativity: A Moderated Mediation Model

Employee creativity is essential for navigating digital disruption and maintaining organizational competitiveness; however, the mechanisms through which digital leadership fosters creativity remain underexplored. This study investigates the psychological and social processes through which digital leadership influences workplace creativity. Grounded in social cognitive and social exchange theories, the proposed model incorporates innovation self-efficacy and knowledge sharing as mediators and technology readiness as a moderator. Data were collected using a three-wave, time-lagged, multi-source survey design from 234 matched respondents, including employees and supervisors, across 20 business units in seven regional branches of a large Chinese organization undergoing digital transformation. The findings indicate that digital leadership significantly enhances employee creativity through the partial mediation of both innovation self-efficacy and knowledge sharing. Notably, the indirect effect through knowledge sharing was stronger, underscoring the critical role of collaborative processes in driving creativity. Furthermore, technology readiness positively moderates the effects of digital leadership on both mediators and amplifies the indirect effects on creativity. These findings provide valuable insights into how organizations can leverage digital leadership more effectively by aligning leadership strategies with employees' psychological readiness and fostering a digitally supportive work environment.