The Interactive Effect of Uncertainty Avoidance Cultural Values and Leadership Styles on Open Service Innovation: A Look at Malaysian Healthcare Sector

This cross-sectional study investigated the interactive effect of uncertainty avoidance cultural values and leadership styles (paternalistic, authentic and democratic) on open service innovation.Validation of the open service innovation scale in the Eastern context was another major objective of this research.Confirmatory Factor Analysis and cross-validation techniques revealed that Malaysian culture considers open service innovation on four dimensions instead of six dimensions proposed by Rangus, Drnovsek, and Di Minin (2013).Moreover, linear and multiple moderated regression analysis performed on a random sample of 422 medical professionals working in hospitals revealed that paternalistic, authentic and democratic leadership styles positively stimulate open service innovation.Malaysia is low uncertainty avoidance collectivist culture, so the results of this study empirically proved that a lower level of uncertainty avoidance would play its positive role to adopt open service innovation in the organization.The results of this empirical investigation are valuable for leaders, managers, and practitioners to understand how leadership and culture can influence the strategic orientation of open service innovation.