Innovative Work Behavior and Perceived Job Performance Among Business Studies Teachers: Evidence from Edo State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study examined the relationship between innovative work behavior (IWB) and business studies teachers’ job performance in Edo State, Nigeria. The study population comprised 306 Business Studies teachers from public secondary schools in Edo State. Using a multistage sampling technique, 155 teachers were selected from the three senatorial districts of the state. A correlational survey design was adopted for the study. Data were collected using structured questionnaires with the IWB and job performance scales yielding reliability coefficients of 0.81 and 0.84, respectively. Data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, Pearson product-moment correlation, and regression analysis with the aid of SPSS version 23.0. The findings revealed that innovative work behavior (IWB) had a significant positive effect on Business Studies teachers’ perceived task performance, explaining 17.2% of its variance. Similarly, IWB significantly and positively influenced perceived contextual performance, accounting for 12.0% of its variance. These findings extend the explanatory application of Social Exchange Theory (SET) beyond corporate organizations by demonstrating its relevance to public secondary school business studies teachers. Based on these findings, it was recommended that employers should recognize and reward the innovative efforts of business studies teachers in line with the principles of SET. Such recognition and reward mechanisms could contribute to teachers’ motivation and perceived job performance while contributing to the advancement of business education by fostering a culture of innovation, creativity, and continuous improvement in teaching and learning practices. The study contributes to the business education field by highlighting innovative work behavior as a strategic mechanism for strengthening business studies teachers’ professional effectiveness.