Article: Women's empowerment and innovations in work behaviour: based on the kaleidoscope model Journal: International Journal of Business Innovation and Research (IJBIR) 2026 Vol.39 No.9 pp.21 - 49 Abstract: The research aimed to examine the impact of women's empowerment (WE) on innovative work behaviour (IWB) through the mediating role of both creative process engagement (CPE) and the kaleidoscope model, as well as the moderating role of organisational policy (OP). Purposive sampling methods were used to collect data from 499 Saudi Arabian women who hold positions in the governmental and commercial sectors. Smart partial least squares-structural equation modelling was used to verify the results. The study found that empowering women is strongly linked to more innovative approaches to the workplace. Kaleidoscope has been shown to be a viable mediator in the connection between WE and IWB. WE and IWB, as well as WE and CPE, are all significantly impacted by OPs as moderator, but WE and kaleidoscope are unaffected by OPs. The findings also showed that the direct effect of WE are positively and associated with IWB. Inderscience Publishers - linking academia, business and industry through research

Title: Women's empowerment and innovations in work behaviour: based on the kaleidoscope model

Authors: Shahad Mesleh Aldossary; Fairouz M. Aldhmour

Addresses: Business Administration Department, College of Education, Administrative and Technical Sciences, Arabian Gulf University, Manama, Bahrain ' Business Administration Department, College of Education, Administrative and Technical Sciences, Arabian Gulf University, Manama, Bahrain

Abstract: The research aimed to examine the impact of women's empowerment (WE) on innovative work behaviour (IWB) through the mediating role of both creative process engagement (CPE) and the kaleidoscope model, as well as the moderating role of organisational policy (OP). Purposive sampling methods were used to collect data from 499 Saudi Arabian women who hold positions in the governmental and commercial sectors. Smart partial least squares-structural equation modelling was used to verify the results. The study found that empowering women is strongly linked to more innovative approaches to the workplace. Kaleidoscope has been shown to be a viable mediator in the connection between WE and IWB. WE and IWB, as well as WE and CPE, are all significantly impacted by OPs as moderator, but WE and kaleidoscope are unaffected by OPs. The findings also showed that the direct effect of WE are positively and associated with IWB.

Keywords: innovative work behaviour; IWB; women's empowerment; creative process engagement; CPE; kaleidoscope; organisational politics; Saudi Arabia.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBIR.2026.153274

International Journal of Business Innovation and Research, 2026 Vol.39 No.9, pp.21 - 49

Received: 01 Feb 2025
Accepted: 19 Oct 2025
Published online: 29 Apr 2026 *

Title: Women's empowerment and innovations in work behaviour: based on the kaleidoscope model

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