Readiness for change in the public sector: The influence of authentic leadership, internal locus of control and innovative work behaviour

Abstract

Orientation: Organisational change is inevitable in the public sector, specifically in developing countries such as Indonesia, which faces demands for accountability and pressure to improve the quality of public services.
Research purpose: This study aims to analyse the influence of authentic leadership and internal locus of control on change readiness and the mediating role of innovative work behaviour among civil servants in Indonesia.
Motivation for the study: This study arose from a gap in the literature, as prior studies have examined authentic leadership and locus of control in isolation and rarely within the Indonesian public-sector context.
Research approach/design and method: This study used a quantitative approach with a cross-sectional survey design. Data were collected via an online questionnaire distributed using purposive sampling, involving 312 civil servants in West Sumatra, Indonesia. Data were analysed using structural equation modelling-partial least squares (SEM-PLS).
Main findings: The study indicates that authentic leadership and an internal locus of control have a positive and significant influence on change readiness. Innovative work behaviour also mediates the relationship between authentic leadership, internal locus of control and change readiness.
Practical/managerial implications: At the managerial level, public-sector organisations need to develop authentic leadership, strengthen internal locus of control through policies and create a work environment that encourages innovation to increase change readiness systematically.
Contribution/value-add: This study simultaneously tests the relationship between authentic leadership, internal locus of control, innovative work behaviour, and change readiness, offering context-specific insights into public-sector change readiness that are absent from the existing literature.