Innovation Management in Defensive Organizations

Innovation Management in Defensive Organizations

Innovation Beyond Red Lines: Explaining the Mechanism of Ambidextrous Leadership’s Impact on Creative Deviance Among Defense Researchers:The Mediating Role of Creative Self-Efficacy and the Moderating Role of Error Management Climate

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
seyyed reza mousavizadeh 1
Mohsen Gholami Abiz 2
tahmineh khademi 3
maryam rouholamin 4
1 Assistant Professor, Department of Business Management, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran
2 Assistant prof., Department of Social Sciences, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran.
3 Lecturer, Department of Public Administration, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran
4 Lecturer, Department of Psychology, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran
10.22034/qjimdo.2026.607200.1827
Abstract
Background & Purpose: In the defense industry, the conflict between hierarchical structures and the necessity for radical innovation elevates the importance of innovative behaviors that emerge outside of formal organizational procedures and norms. In this context, "creative deviance"—defined as behavior aimed at achieving an organization's innovative goals despite deviating from established procedures—can facilitate the development of new technologies. This study aims to explain the mechanism through which ambidextrous leadership influences the creative deviance of researchers, by examining the mediating role of creative self-efficacy and the moderating role of an error-management climate.
Methodology: This is an applied study, descriptive-correlational in nature and methodology. The statistical population consisted of researchers in the defense industry, from which 310 individuals were selected using convenience sampling. Data were collected using standardized questionnaires measuring ambidextrous leadership, creative self-efficacy, creative deviance, and error-management climate. Data analysis and hypothesis testing were conducted using SPSS software and Hayes’ PROCESS macro.
Findings: The results indicate that ambidextrous leadership has a positive and significant impact on the creative deviance of researchers. Furthermore, creative self-efficacy acts as a mediator in the relationship between ambidextrous leadership and creative deviance. The results from Hayes’ Model 14 analysis also reveal that an error-management climate moderates the indirect effect of ambidextrous leadership on creative deviance, mediated by creative self-efficacy. Specifically, this mechanism operates more intensely within a supportive error-management climate.
Conclusion: According to social cognitive theory, ambidextrous leadership fosters creative deviance among researchers in the defense industries by strengthening their creative self-efficacy, an effect that is amplified in a supportive error management climate. Accordingly, it is recommended that organizations distinguish errors arising from innovative efforts from security-related negligence and establish controlled environments for testing new ideas. These measures can facilitate the constructive use of creative deviance while maintaining security requirements.
Keywords
Ambivalent leadership
creative deviance
creative self-efficacy
error management atmosphere
defense industries
Subjects
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