A Three-way Interaction Model of Innovative Behavior, Task-Related Learning, and Job Characteristics

This study investigates the circumstances under which the task-related learning potential of the workplace (T-LPW) fosters employees' innovative work behavior (IWB) by testing the moderating role of job characteristics. A cross-sectional design survey was conducted among 391 employees of an Italian vending enterprise, and multiple regression analysis was performed to test the hypotheses. The results indicate a positive relationship between T-LPW and IWB, and it is strengthened in cases of high autonomy and high task significance. Furthermore, the combined presence of both conditions has a greater impact, underlining the existence of a three-way interaction. The main contribution of this study is to provide empirical evidence of the value of work-based learning processes in enhancing individual innovation, underlining how specific conditions can influence the link between learning and innovative behaviors. This article adds to a more complex understanding of innovation by highlighting the relevance of the simultaneous interplay of contextual and personal factors.