This study aims to examine the relationships among self-leadership, knowledge sharing, self-efficacy, innovative work behaviour and lecturer productivity among lecturers in Malaysian higher education institutions.
A quantitative cross-sectional survey design was employed. Data were collected from lecturers in public and private higher education institutions in the Klang Valley, Malaysia, using a structured questionnaire. A total of 312 usable responses were analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling with SmartPLS to evaluate the measurement and structural models and test the hypothesised relationships.
The findings indicate that self-leadership positively and significantly influences knowledge sharing, self-efficacy, innovative work behaviour, and lecturer productivity. Knowledge sharing exerted the strongest positive effect on lecturer productivity, while self-efficacy significantly enhanced both innovative work behaviour and lecturer productivity. The findings demonstrate that psychological and collaborative resources play important roles in strengthening lecturers' innovative work behaviour and academic productivity.
The cross-sectional design and reliance on self-reported data limit causal inference and may introduce common method bias. Furthermore, the study was confined to lecturers in higher education institutions within the Klang Valley, which may limit the generalisability of the findings. Future studies are encouraged to employ longitudinal designs, include more diverse institutional contexts, and incorporate objective indicators of academic productivity.
The findings suggest that higher education institutions should strengthen self-leadership development, cultivate knowledge-sharing cultures, and enhance lecturers' self-efficacy through structured professional development, mentoring, and collaborative academic initiatives. These strategies may improve innovation capability and academic productivity across universities.
This study extends the application of Self-Leadership Theory and Social Cognitive Theory by demonstrating how knowledge sharing and self-efficacy contribute alongside self-leadership to innovative work behaviour and lecturer productivity. By examining these relationships simultaneously within the Malaysian higher education context, the study provides a more comprehensive understanding of how psychological and collaborative resources contribute to lecturers' innovation and productivity.
