Historically, manufacturing sector has been the backbone for all the developed and developing economies. Itis one of the most rapidly growing sectors in India. With the launch of programs like ‘Make in India’, ‘SAMARTH Udyog Bharat 4.0’ to promote the growth of the manufacturing sector, it is safe to say that innovation has taken the center stage. In the current circumstances business organizations are taking every step to foster innovative behavior among their employees. While some have had a positive influence, others have hampered employees’ innovative behavior. The authors of the present study have attempted to investigate the antecedents of innovative work behavior. The paper delineates the relationships between leader-member exchange, affective commitment and innovative work behavior. The framework proposed by the authors helps unwrap the underlying mechanisms through which leadership directly or indirectly influences employees’ innovative work behavior. A questionnaire survey was utilized to collect data from employees working in manufacturing companies in India. Analysis of the data collected from 80 samples revealed that affective commitment mediated the relationship between leader-member exchange and innovative work behavior. The framework proposed can be utilized by the businesses in designing and executing interventions that nurture innovative behavior among their employees.

Leader-Member Exchange; Affective Commitment; Innovative Work Behavior; Manufacturing Sector; Social Exchange Theory