Empowerment, knowledge sharing and innovative behaviours: Exploring gender differences

We examine the effects of empowerment and knowledge sharing on employee innovative behaviours and explore gender differences. The study draws on a sample of 305 employees from the UAE (United Arab Emirates) service sector. Based on an extensive literature review, we develop a conceptual model and formulate four main hypotheses. Statistical analysis was conducted using structural equation modelling with Smart-Partial Least Squares (PLS). The results clearly show and confirm that feelings of empowerment and knowledge sharing have strong and significant impacts on employee innovative behaviours. Surprising and quite interestingly, females report greater feelings of empowerment but were less inclined to engage in knowledge sharing. The findings also show significant gender differences in relation to the impacts of empowerment and knowledge sharing on innovative behaviours. The above gender disparities seem to be specific to the UAE contexts which are discussed. The implications of the above findings for management practice and future research are also discussed.