BEYOND REPRESENTATION: FEMALE LEADERSHIP AND EMPLOYEE CREATIVITY THROUGH PSYCHOLOGICAL EMPOWERMENT

Abstract

Drawing upon Social Exchange Theory, this study investigates the direct effect of female leadership on employee creativity and the mediating role of psychological empowerment. A quantitative cross-sectional research design was employed, and data were collected from employees working in the higher education sector through a structured questionnaire. The data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS 4. The findings reveal that female leadership positively influences employee creativity and significantly enhances employees’ psychological empowerment. Furthermore, psychological empowerment positively affects employee creativity and serves as a significant mediator in the relationship between female leadership and employee creativity. These results suggest that female leaders foster innovative work behaviors by creating supportive and empowering environments that strengthen employees’ confidence, autonomy, and sense of purpose. The study contributes to leadership literature by extending Social Exchange Theory to the context of female leadership and highlighting psychological empowerment as a key explanatory mechanism. Practically, the findings provide guidance for organizations seeking to enhance creativity through leadership diversity and empowerment-oriented management practices. The study concludes by discussing theoretical implications, managerial recommendations, limitations, and directions for future research.