Systemic Dynamics of Team Innovation: Paradoxical Leadership, Boundary Work, and the Contingency of Team Internal Tie Strength

Drawing on paradox theory and paired data from 82 team leaders and 373 members, this study investigates how paradoxical leadership stimulates team innovation through boundary work. Empirical evidence indicates that paradoxical leadership fosters idea generation via outward boundary work and promotes idea implementation via inward boundary work. Internal tie strength exerts divergent moderating effects. It amplifies the relationship between paradoxical leadership and outward boundary work but attenuates the association with inward boundary work. This moderation extends to the indirect effect on idea generation, whereas the mediation path for idea implementation remains unmoderated.