Examining the effect of entrepreneurial leadership on employees’ innovative behavior in SME hotels: A mediated moderation model

To achieve their innovation and service quality goals and effectively meet customers’ changing demands, hospitality firms are searching for different ways to encourage employees’ innovative behavior. This study examines the role of entrepreneurial leadership in promoting innovative behavior among hospitality employees through mediated moderation effects. Data were collected from employees and managers working in 178 small- and medium-sized (SME) hotels in Vietnam. The findings revealed that intrinsic motivation and trust in leader mediated the association between entrepreneurial leadership and employees’ innovative behavior. In contrast to our prediction, leader–member exchange (LMX) did not moderate the associations between entrepreneurial leadership and intrinsic motivation and trust in leader. Our findings provide important implications for hospitality firms that are investing in innovation activities and searching for ways to encourage innovative behavior in their employees.