Cultivating collective teacher innovativeness in high power distance settings: The role of empowering leadership and collective teacher efficacy

KAVGACI H., Savaş G., Özdemir N., Kılınç A. Ç.

Teaching and Teacher Education, vol.176, 2026 (SSCI, Scopus) identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 176
  • Publication Date: 2026
  • Doi Number: 10.1016/j.tate.2026.105541
  • Journal Name: Teaching and Teacher Education
  • Journal Indexes: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, IBZ Online, Education Abstracts, Educational research abstracts (ERA), Psycinfo, Public Affairs Index
  • Keywords: Collective teacher efficacy, Collective teacher innovativeness, Empowering leadership, Multilevel moderated mediation, School power distance
  • Gazi University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

This study examines a moderated mediation model that links empowering leadership to collective teacher innovativeness, with collective teacher efficacy serving as the mediator and school power distance as the moderator. Drawing on a cross-sectional survey design and utilizing data from 926 teachers across 73 schools in Türkiye, we employed multilevel structural equation modelling with Bayesian estimation to examine the structural interrelations among the study constructs. The results reaffirmed the mediated effects model, showing that empowering leadership exerts a significant indirect effect on collective teacher innovativeness through collective teacher efficacy. Further analyses demonstrated that school power distance functions as a key contextual variable, amplifying the conditional indirect effect of empowering leadership on collective teacher innovativeness. We conclude with implications for policy and practice.