Nexus between Emotional Intelligence, Perceived Organizational Supportiveness, and Innovative Work Behaviour of Employees in Sri Lankan Biscuit Manufacturing Companies

Abstract

In highly competitive manufacturing environments, employee-driven innovation has become a critical source of sustainable competitive advantage. Within the Sri Lankan biscuit manufacturing industry, firms face increasing pressure to enhance innovation amid rapid market changes and technological advancement. Grounded in Resource-Based Theory, this study investigates the relationships between Emotional Intelligence (EI), Perceived Organizational Supportiveness (POS), and Innovative Work Behaviour (IWB), while examining the moderating role of Technological Orientation (TO).
A quantitative, cross-sectional survey design was adopted, and data were collected from 384 employees representing leading biscuit manufacturing companies in Sri Lanka. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling was employed to test the hypothesis. The findings reveal a strong and positive relationship between EI and IWB, indicating that organizational support mechanisms play an important role in translating emloyees~emotional capabilities into innovative outcomes. However, the moderating effect of technological orientation on the POS-IWB relationship.