Introduction
Innovative behavior refers to a set of behaviors involving the identification and exploration of problems, the generation of new ideas or solutions, the promotion and development of those ideas, and, ultimately, their implementation in ways that are useful and effective for organizations (Izzati et al., 2023, p. 470). It is regarded as a key driver of educational improvement, as teachers who demonstrate innovative behavior can be considered creative educators who generate and implement ideas aimed at enhancing school performance (Johari, Wahat, & Zaremohzzabieh, 2021, p. 74; Sary, Dudija, & Moslem, 2023, p. 1450). An organization's capacity for innovation depends largely on its people and requires individuals to develop awareness of, willingness to engage with, and positive attitudes toward change (Zainal & Matore, 2021, p. 1; Dongxiao et al., 2024, p. 4338). Accordingly, individuals need to possess attitudes and dispositions that enable them to move beyond the status quo and engage in innovative behaviors (Zainal & Matore, 2021, p. 2). Since organizational changes in schools are ultimately implemented by teachers, their attitudes toward organizational change constitute a critical factor in schools' readiness and capacity for change. Against this background, the present study aims to investigate the role of attitudes toward organizational change in the innovative behavior of primary school teachers in Birjand. Specifically, the study seeks to determine the extent to which the three components of attitudes toward organizational change, affective, cognitive, and behavioral, predict teachers’ innovative behavior. Accordingly, the study addresses the following research questions:
What are the attitudes toward organizational change and innovative behavior among primary school teachers in Birjand?
To what extent do the affective, cognitive, and behavioral components of attitudes toward organizational change predict teachers’ innovative behavior?
Method
The present study employed a quantitative, applied research design using a descriptive-correlational approach. The statistical population comprised 1,900 primary school teachers in Birjand during the 2023–2024 academic year (1402–1403). Based on the Krejcie and Morgan table, a sample of 320 teachers was determined. Participants were selected through multistage cluster sampling. First, Birjand was divided into three geographical districts—northern, southern, and central—and schools were randomly selected from each district. Subsequently, all teachers working in the selected schools were included in the sample. Data were collected using two questionnaires: Attitudes Toward Organizational Change Questionnaire developed by Dunham et al. (1989) and Innovative Behavior Questionnaire developed by Kanter (1988). The Attitudes Toward Organizational Change Questionnaire consists of 18 items across three dimensions: affective attitudes toward change (Items 1–6), cognitive attitudes toward change (Items 7–12), and behavioral attitudes toward change (Items 13–18). In the study by Hejrati, Zeinabadi, and Behrangi (2018), the content validity of the questionnaire was established through expert evaluation, and its reliability was reported as 0.83. The Innovative Behavior Questionnaire consists of eight items. Afshari et al. (2006) reported evidence supporting its face and content validity (as cited in Saatchi, Kamkari, & Askarian, 2011, p. 320). Its reliability was also assessed using Cronbach’s alpha in the study by Saatchi, Kamkari, and Askarian (2011), yielding a coefficient of 0.88. The collected data were analyzed at both descriptive and inferential levels using one-sample t-tests and multiple regression analysis in SPSS.
Results
The descriptive findings indicated that 31.3% of the participants were male and 68.8% were female. Regarding teaching experience, the largest proportion of participants (33.1%) had 11–20 years of work experience, whereas the smallest proportion (17.2%) had 6–10 years of experience. In terms of educational attainment, the majority of participants held a bachelor's degree (58.4%), while the smallest proportion held a doctoral degree (1.3%). The study sought to determine the status of primary school teachers’ attitudes toward organizational change and their innovative behavior in Birjand. To address the research goals, one-sample t-tests were conducted. The results indicated that both teachers’ attitudes toward organizational change and their innovative behavior were significantly higher than the hypothesized mean (p < .05), suggesting that both variables were at a favorable level among primary school teachers in Birjand. To test the research hypotheses, multiple regression analysis was conducted. The results of the main hypothesis indicated a significant positive relationship between attitudes toward organizational change and teachers' innovative behavior (R = 0.20), supporting the hypothesis that attitudes toward organizational change significantly predict innovative behavior. The results concerning the three dimensions of attitudes toward organizational change showed that affective, cognitive, and behavioral attitudes were significantly associated with teachers' innovative behavior. The correlations between the cognitive and behavioral dimensions and innovative behavior were R = 0.26 and R = 0.19, respectively. Among the three dimensions, the behavioral dimension had the strongest predictive effect on innovative behavior, with a regression coefficient of B = 0.26. These findings suggest that teachers’ behavioral attitudes toward organizational change play the most prominent role in predicting their innovative behavior.
Discussion and Conclusion
The findings of this study indicate that there is a positive and significant relationship between attitudes toward organizational change and the innovative behavior of primary school teachers in Birjand. Therefore, enhancing teachers’ attitudes toward change and fostering innovation in teaching practices can contribute to improving teachers’ performance and promoting students’ learning outcomes. Regarding the dimensions of attitudes toward organizational change (affective, cognitive, and behavioral), the results revealed that, except for the affective dimension, cognitive and behavioral attitudes had significant positive relationships with innovative behavior. The affective dimension of attitudes toward change refers to teachers’ emotional responses, such as fear and anxiety, during the process of organizational change. Thus, concerns about potential threats to job security or professional status during periods of change may hinder teachers’ engagement in innovative behaviors. In contrast, the cognitive dimension, which reflects teachers’ knowledge, perceptions, and beliefs about change, was significantly associated with innovative behavior. This suggests that teachers with greater knowledge, higher information literacy, and stronger beliefs regarding the value and necessity of change are more likely to demonstrate innovative behaviors. Finally, the behavioral dimension was found to have the strongest predictive role in explaining the innovative behavior of primary school teachers in Birjand. This finding highlights the importance of teachers’ actual behaviors and practical responses to organizational change, suggesting that successful implementation of change initiatives depends largely on translating positive attitudes into observable actions and innovative practices.