Self-Leadership and Lecturer Productivity: A Conceptual Framework of Innovative Work Behaviour, Knowledge Sharing, and Self-Efficacy in Malaysian Higher Education

Abstract

This study examines the role of self-leadership in enhancing lecturer productivity in Malaysian higher education, with innovative work behaviour, knowledge sharing, and self-efficacy as key supporting mechanisms. In the context of increasing demands for teaching excellence, high-impact research, and meaningful community engagement, academic staff are required to demonstrate not only technical competence but also strong self-regulation, intrinsic motivation, and innovative capability. Drawing on self-leadership theory and social cognitive theory, this paper proposes a comprehensive conceptual framework that explains how self-leadership influences academic productivity through psychological and social processes. Using a quantitative survey approach, the study outlines the relationships among the key constructs and provides a narrative synthesis of expected findings based on existing empirical evidence. The analysis suggests that lecturers who exhibit high levels of self-leadership are more likely to engage in innovative work behaviour, actively share knowledge with colleagues, and possess stronger self-efficacy beliefs, which in turn contribute to higher levels of teaching effectiveness, research output, and overall academic performance. The study contributes theoretically by integrating leadership, innovation, and social cognitive perspectives in a higher education context, and practically by offering insights for the design of academic leadership development programmes, knowledge management initiatives, and human resource strategies aimed at strengthening sustainable productivity in universities.