INNOVATION MANAGEMENT AS A DRIVER OF TEACHERS’ PROFESSIONAL IDENTITY IN HIGHER VOCATIONAL COLLEGES

Abstract

Higher vocational colleges worldwide are undergoing profound transformation driven by digitalization, technological innovation, and evolving industry demands. Strengthening teachers’ professional identity has become essential for improving teaching quality and institutional innovation capacity. While prior studies have primarily examined individual and psychological determinants of teachers’ professional identity, limited attention has been paid to the strategic role of innovation management at the institutional level. This conceptual paper examines how innovation management functions as a strategic driver of teachers’ professional identity in higher vocational colleges. Drawing on Innovation Management Theory, Social Cognitive Theory, and the Quadruple Helix Innovation Framework, the study proposes a conceptual model illustrating how four organizational dimensions of innovation management—innovation-oriented climate, leadership and governance, digital transformation and resource support, and industry–education collaboration—enhance teachers’ professional identity through four mediating mechanisms: self-efficacy, professional learning, organizational commitment, and collaborative innovation capability. Eight research propositions are formulated to guide future empirical investigation. The study contributes by repositioning innovation management from an administrative function to a strategic governance capability that creates enabling conditions for teacher professional development in vocational education contexts.