Examining the impact of top management support on employee creativity through the mediating role of knowledge management and absorptive capacity

Purpose Drawing on the knowledge-based view and social exchange theory, this study aims to examine how top management support relates both directly and indirectly to employee creativity through knowledge management processes (acquisition and sharing) and absorptive capacity. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 284 academics and researchers working in research centres in Iraq’s public universities to assess their perceptions of management support, knowledge management, absorptive capacity and creativity. Findings Performing structural equation modelling with AMOS, positive relationships were identified between top management support, knowledge management processes, absorptive capacity and employee creativity. The study findings emphasise the pivotal role of top management support in creating an environment that fosters knowledge acquisition and sharing, and enhancing absorptive capacity, in turn, amplifying employee creativity. Empirical evidence confirming the salient role of knowledge management and absorptive capacity in strengthening employee creativity in the context of Iraqi academia and researchers is presented. Originality/value The study shows that knowledge management processes and absorptive capacity mediate the influence of top management support on employee creativity. The premise of absorptive capacity is the individual’s ability to identify, accumulate and assimilate relevant knowledge from external sources and commercialise the gained knowledge.