Motivation as a catalyst for innovation amidst organizational commitment: a PLS-SEM multi-group analysis of health science educators

INTRODUCTION: Empirical research on teaching motivation (TM) as a mediator between organizational commitment (OC) and innovative behavior (IB) is limited in scope. Guided by Expectancy-Value Theory and organizational psychology, this study examines the mediating role of TM between OC and IB among nursing and health science faculty. METHODS: This cross-sectional study gathered data from 102 academic staff in nursing and health sciences at Taif University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), including mediation analysis, multi-group analysis (MGA), and permutation tests with 5,000 subsamples to assess subgroup differences and the robustness of the structural relationships. RESULTS: The structural model revealed a statistical suppression effect, also known as inconsistent mediation effect. This occurred because, despite a strong positive bivariate correlation between TM and IB (r = .678), the direct path from TM to IB became non-significant (β = 0.022, p = .947) when OC was included in the model due to OC’s significant negative direct effect on IB (β = −0.296, p < .001). This suggests that institutional constraints may neutralize the direct benefits of employee motivation. CONCLUSION: In this model, teaching motivation functions as a key indirect pathway through which positive institutional values are associated with innovative behavior, particularly in compliance-oriented contexts. However, the cross-sectional, correlational design does not permit causal inferences about the observed mediation and suppression effects; therefore, the findings should be interpreted as indicative rather than definitive evidence of these mechanisms.