Abstract:Generally, organizations build up their competitive advantage by enlarging and enhancing their
idea repository, mainly through formal organisationl structure. However, this study was designed to bring to the
fore the relevance of the informal social relations (like leadership and relationship styles) in the innovation
process. To achieve this objective, the study investigated the link among organic and mechanistic structures,
leadership and relationship styles, and the innovation process through the lens of the knowledge creation
theory. Data was collected by means of questionnaires and analysed using regression anaslysis. It was found
that: the organic structure impacts idea generation; mechanistic structure impacts idea implementation;
transformational leadership impacts idea generation; transactional leadership impacts idea implementation;
relationship styles moderates the impact of transformational leadership on idea generation; and relationship
styles moderates the impact of transactional leadership on idea implementation. This therefore connotes that an
organization could be ambidextrous at the same time and within the same department. A manager that is
aspiring to develop innovative employees and a competitive organization in a turbulent environment is thus
advised to employ both structures and leadership styles with a good relationship atmosphere among employees
within the organization.
Keywords: Innovation, Leadership styles, Organizational structure, Relationship styles, Turbulent
environment
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