Personal Accomplishment, Mentoring, and Creative Self-Efficacy as Predictors of Creative Work Involvement: The Moderating Role of Positive and Negative Affect

Network analysis of affect, emotion regulation, psychological capital, and resilience among Chinese males during the late stage of the COVID-19 pandemic

Background

Previous studies have confirmed that both affect and emotion regulation strategies are closely associated with psychological capital (PsyCap) and resilience. These factors are assumed to buffer the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health, especially among males. However, these interactions have not been closely examined to date. To fill this gap, this paper explores the dimension-level relationships of these psychological constructs among Chinese males during the late stage of the COVID-19 pandemic and identified critical bridge dimensions using network analysis.

Methods

A total of 1,490 Chinese males aged 21–51 years completed self-report scales assessing emotion regulation strategies, affect, PsyCap, and psychological resilience. Two regularized partial correlation networks, namely the affect and emotion regulation-PsyCap network and the affect and emotion regulation-psychological resilience network, were then constructed to examine links between the dimensions of these constructs. The bridge expected influence (BEI) index was also calculated for each node to identify important bridge nodes.

Results

Positive affect, negative affect, cognitive reappraisal, and expressive suppression showed distinct and complex links to various dimensions of PsyCap or psychological resilience. In both networks, positive affect, cognitive reappraisal, and negative affect were identified as critical bridge nodes, with the first two having positive BEI values and the third having a negative value.

Conclusion

The findings elucidate the specific role of the dimensions of emotion regulation or affect in relation to PsyCap and psychological resilience, which facilitates further understanding of the mechanisms underlying these interrelationships. These findings also provide implications for developing effective intervention strategies to increase PsyCap and psychological resilience.

Continuous idea contribution in open innovation communities: The role of verbal persuasion from peers

Motivating continuous idea contributions from members is especially challenging for open innovation communities (OIC). Scholars have thus explored a range of incentives, among which peer feedback has received much attention. However, existing research on peer feedback tends to focus on the structural features, ignoring the richness of the text. To fill this research gap, this study investigates the influence of feedback language use from peers, including emotional support and constructive feedback, on individuals' continuous idea contributions, based on the creative self-efficacy theory. The results show that emotional support, especially emotional approval, positively affects members' continuous contributions, and that the effect is stronger when the provider is of a higher status. However, individualized consideration does not seem to work. In addition, in terms of the effect of constructive feedback, we also find support from cognitive stimulation, while intellectual stimulation exerts an effect only when the provider's status is high. Overall, these findings extend the current research on peer feedback and offer practical guidelines to the open innovation community.

Zhongyong thinking mediates the relationship between leader–member exchange and employee creativity

In this study we added to the literature on leader–member exchange (LMX) and employee creativity by focusing on the mediating role of Zhongyong thinking in this relationship. We collected data from 295 employees at a state-owned manufacturing company in China, using a paper-and-pencil survey. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the hypotheses. Results show that both LMX and Zhongyong thinking were positively related to employee creativity, and Zhongyong thinking partially mediated this relationship. Our findings show the importance of both LMX and Zhongyong thinking in facilitating employee creativity, and provide a practical guide to enhance employee creativity.

From Trait Affect and Conscientiousness to Individual Entrepreneurial Orientation: The Mediating Role of Cognitive Flexibility

This study investigates the mediating role of cognitive flexibility on the relationship between trait positive/negative affect, and conscientiousness with individual entrepreneurial orientation. A total of 508 (175 male and 333 female) undergraduate students participated in the study. Three separate mediation analyses were carried out. The results revealed that cognitive flexibility partially mediated the relationship between trait positive affect and individual entrepreneurial orientation as well as the relationship between conscientiousness and individual entrepreneurial orientation. The results also showed that cognitive flexibility fully mediated the association between trait negative affect and individual entrepreneurial orientation. Findings of this study show that interventions and individual development programs may be conducted to increase cognitive flexibility of individuals with high levels of trait negative affect, low levels of conscientiousness and low levels of trait positive affect. This might potentially strengthen their levels of individual entrepreneurial orientation.

Predicting Innovative Work Behaviour in an Interactive Mechanism

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impacts of employees’ creative self-efficacy (CSE) and creative self-identity (CSI) on their innovative work behaviour (IWB), with the indirect effects of creative process engagement (CPE) and creative climate (CC). Following the deductive reasoning approach, the study was conducted on IT-based firms in Bangladesh. A total of 348 surveys were collected using a multi-item questionnaire. The collected data were then analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). The study reveals a significant relationship between CSE and IWB, and CSI and IWB. It further explores the significant mediating effects of CPE and the moderating effects of CC on CSE and IWB, and CSI and IB, relationships. Based on the premise of interactionist perspectives on creativity, this study contributes to the literature proposing a distinctive model comprising five variables to investigate employees’ IWB from a multi-level perspective. This integrated model, using predictors from multiple levels, supports the theoretical assumption that IB results from employees’ CSE, CSI, and, finally, CPE. Distinct from the other literature, the study also portrays the moderating and mediating impact of CC and CPE simultaneously.

Burned or engaged teachers? The role of mindfulness, self-efficacy, teacher and students’ relationships, and the mediating role of intrapersonal and interpersonal mindfulness

This study had the goal to examine factors that are associated with burnout and engagement among teachers from diverse educational stages. Among these factors, we analyzed socio-demographic aspects, such as gender, age and years of experience, and other psychological teacher-related variables like teacher’s self-efficacy and teacher-student relationships. We also considered the potential mediating role of mindfulness in these relationships. The sample was made up by 425 Spanish teachers who answered an online survey. We administered the following measures: Revised version of the Teacher’s Burnout Questionnaire, Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, Mindfulness in Teaching Scale –which distinguished between intrapersonal and interpersonal mindfulness-, Teacher’s Sense of Self-efficacy Scale, and some questions related to the relationships between students and teachers in the classroom. We conducted a mediational analysis through structural equation modeling (SEM). Our findings indicated that both intrapersonal and interpersonal mindfulness mediated the relation between self-efficacy, which played a direct and an indirect role, the teacher-student relationship, and burnout and engagement. The socio-demographic variables of gender and years of experience played a significant role in mindfulness. The teachers with more self-efficacy were more likely to pay attention to their daily activity and to show more receptivity with their students, which resulted in lower burnout and more engagement. In addition, better relationships with students led to higher intrapersonal mindfulness levels, which mediated the relation with burnout and engagement. These relations varied depending on specific burnout and engagement dimensions. We discuss the implications of these findings for improving teachers´ implication in the education field.

Empowerment leadership as a predictor of expatriates job performance and creative work involvement

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between empowering leadership and organizational commitment and its effect on job performance and creative work involvement within the expatriate society of the UAE.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper suggests a theoretical model derived from survey responses gathered from expatriates used in multinational organizations located in Dubai city in the UAE.

Findings

The results show that organizational commitment partially mediates the relationship between empowering leadership and job performance. Furthermore, the results show that organizational commitment partially mediates the relationship between empowering leadership and creative work involvement.

Originality/value

This research adds to the existing body of knowledge on international business by investigating the effects that organizational commitment and empowering leadership have on creative work involvement and job performance of expatriates.

Influence on Forgiveness, Character Strengths and Satisfaction with Life of a Short Mindfulness Intervention via a Spanish Smartphone Application

Mindfulness-based interventions (MBI) are a recognized effective psychological practice characterized by attention control, awareness, acceptance, non-reactivity, and non-judgmental thinking obtained through the practice of meditation. They have been shown to be useful in reducing stress and enhancing well-being in different contexts. In this research, the effectiveness of an MBI was evaluated on variables that can promote successful job performance such as mindfulness trait, positive and negative affect, forgiveness, personality strengths and satisfaction with life. The intervention was carried out through a smartphone application called "Aire Fresco" (Fresh Air) during 14 days in the middle of the quarantine produced by the Covid-19 pandemic. The study sample was composed of 164 Spanish people who were distributed in two groups: control group and experimental group, which were evaluated before and after the intervention. The MANCOVA performed showed an overall positive effect of the intervention on the variables evaluated. The different ANCOVAs carried out showed that the intervention was beneficial in increasing mindfulness trait, reducing negative affect or increasing life satisfaction, among others. Our study is, as far as we know, the first to demonstrate the effectiveness of a brief intervention in mindfulness conducted using a smartphone application in Spanish.

The impact of ethical leadership on employee creative deviance: the mediating role of job autonomy

Purpose

This study aims to explore the impact of ethical leadership on employee creative deviance, with job autonomy as a mediator and creative self-efficacy as a moderator between job autonomy and creative deviance.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey was developed based on construct measures from the literature. A total of 316 responses were received from employees of information and communication technology companies located in China's Pearl River Delta.

Findings

Both ethical leadership and job autonomy have a positive impact on employee creative deviance; job autonomy plays a mediating role between ethical leadership and creative deviance; creative self-efficacy does not have a significant moderating effect on the job autonomy-creative deviance relationship.

Research limitations/implications

Future studies could explore the potential moderating role of both job autonomy and creative-self efficacy in the link between ethical leadership and creative deviance.

Practical implications

This study recommends that organizations should adopt and promote an ethical leadership approach to manage creative deviance at work. Organizations could explore alternative methods of task completion to support the job autonomy for the employees to mitigate the dilemmas associated with creative deviance.

Originality/value

This is one of few studies that examine the impact of ethical leadership on employee's creative deviance, despite the fact that the influence of ethical leadership on the followers has been extensively examined.

In Pursuit of Work Performance: Testing the Contribution of Emotional Intelligence and Burnout

Previous research has highlighted the connection between emotional intelligence (EI) and work performance. However, the role of job burnout in this context remains relatively unexplored. This study aimed to examine the mediator role of burnout in the relationship between EI and work performance in a multioccupational sample of 1197 Spanish professionals (58.6% women). The participants completed the Wong and Law Emotional Intelligence Scale, the Maslach Burnout Inventory, and the Individual Work Performance Questionnaire. As expected, the results demonstrated a positive relationship between EI and performance, and a negative relationship with burnout, which has a mediator effect in the relationship between EI and work performance. Professionals with high levels of IE and low burnout reported the highest performance. Multiple mediation analyses showed that employees' EI was indirectly connected to work performance via professional efficacy and exhaustion, even when controlling the effects of sociodemographic variables. The same pattern was found when multiple mediations were conducted for each EI dimension. These findings demonstrate the importance of burnout in understanding work performance and emphasize the role of EI as a protective variable which can prevent the development or chronic progression of workers' burnout.

Compulsory Citizenship Behavior and Employee Creativity: Creative Self-Efficacy as a Mediator and Negative Affect as a Moderator

Workplace stressors were identified to have critical impacts on employee creativity. However, little is known about how and when involuntary citizenship behavior [i.e., compulsory citizenship behavior (CCB)]-induced stress might exert an influence on employee creativity. To fill this knowledge gap, the present study firstly develops a moderated mediation model to investigate the CCB–employee creativity association as well as the underlying mechanism and contextual condition of this relationship. By integrating social cognitive theory such as self-efficacy theory and conservation of resources (COR) theory, we propose that CCB predicts employee creativity through the mediating role of creative self-efficacy (CSE), with the individual characteristics (i.e., personality traits) of negative affect acting as a boundary condition. Using two-wave time-lagged survey data collected from a sample of 251 frontline employees in 10 manufacturing firms in Southern China, the results show that: (a) CSE mediates the negative relationship between CCB and employee creativity; (b) negative affect moderates the relationship between CCB and CSE; (c) negative affect moderates the indirect influence of CCB on employee creativity through CSE. As the level of negative affect rises, this indirect relationship is stronger. Finally, important theoretical and managerial implications and promising avenues for future research are addressed.

The Antecedents and Consequences of Psychological Safety in Airline Firms: Focusing on High-Quality Interpersonal Relationships

A comprehensive review of the literature on service creativity revealed the necessity to expand the line of creativity-based research in the service-driven industry. It also called for the creation of a survey instrument that entails high-quality interpersonal relationships, psychological safety, and learning from failures, by including two creativity-related constructs, namely, creative self-efficacy and employees’ creative work involvement to the model. The current study aimed; (a) to assess the validity and reliability of measurement models; and (b) to empirically examine the integrated proposed model consisting of salient constructs. A convenience sample of 341 airline employees responded to a self-report questionnaire that was developed using the steps of researchers’ in a comprehensive literature review and refined based on the feedback provided by a panel of five professionals who had worked in airline firms. The resultant data were subjected to exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), second-order CFA, and structural equation modeling (SEM) using version 23.0 of AMOS. The results showed that high-quality interpersonal relationships positively influenced psychological safety, which in turn, positively influenced learning from failures and creative self-efficacy. Further, learnings from failures positively influenced creative self-efficacy but not employees’ creative work involvement. Finally, both psychological safety and creative self-efficacy positively influenced employees’ creative work involvement. These findings have significant implications for human resource management practices that aim to promote the creative involvement of airline employees.

The relationships between bilingual learning, willingness to study abroad and convergent creativity

Convergent creativity is a form of creative thinking that uses existing knowledge or traditional methods to analyze available information and generate an appropriate solution. The differences in the performance of participants in convergent creativity caused by bilingual learning is a popular research area in creativity. A final sample of 68 participants was asked to complete the remote associates test (RAT). The results indicate that a moderate positive correlation exists between bilingual learning and convergent creativity. Students who want to study abroad perform better on the RAT than those who do not, and this effect is mediated by second language proficiency. These findings suggest that improving students' English proficiency and increasing their opportunities to study abroad may be effective ways to promoting convergent creativity.

Linking transformational leadership with employees’ engagement in the creative process

Purpose

Given that individual creativity is a critical element to achieving organizational competitiveness, the purpose of this study is to attempt to investigate how transformational leadership (TL) drives employee creative process engagement (CPE) by improving their creative self-efficacy (CSE).

Design/methodology/approach

Analysis has been performed based on 194 responses from information and communication technology firms using a cross-sectional survey design. The study follows a deductive research approach to test the hypotheses. It uses SmartPLS2 and IBM SPSS 21 for a structural equation model.

Findings

The investigation finds that TL significantly predicts CPE, and CSE partially mediates the TL–CPE relationship. The result demonstrates that TL shapes an organizational climate conducive to the employees’ CPE by building employees’ self-efficacy.

Research limitations/implications

The study sample was drawn from a single sector of the Bangladeshi economy. The sampling design represents a limitation, for which the findings cannot be broadly generalized. Replications and augmentations of the study in various industrial areas will help test the robustness and generalizability of the discoveries.

Practical implications

TL and CPE are desirable organizational outcomes across all cultures. From a practical standpoint, the outcomes demonstrate that TL is linked to CPE and CSE among information and communication technology employees. This study extends the appropriateness of CSE into Asian countries. Notably, it provides additional insight into a contemporary TL model that can unequivocally impact leadership development in the Bangladeshi information and communication technology firms. Managers or chief executive officers in the small and medium enterprises are expected to exhibit TL attributes by designing a supportive organizational climate that will motivate employees to exhibit creative activities.

Social implications

TL transforms employees’ psychological state to get them to engage in creative processes, benefiting the organizational stakeholders by their unconventional creative behavior. The TL-driven innovative outcome through employees’ CPE contributes to the development of social well-being.

Originality/value

This paper adds significance to the extant literature regarding the determinants of the mediating impact of CSE on TL and CPE from the viewpoints of information and communication technology firms, particularly from developing countries, such as Bangladesh. It also contributes to reconcile the findings of the previous studies around the globe in both developed and developing countries.

Examining Effects of Self-Efficacy on Research Motivation Among Chinese University Teachers: Moderation of Leader Support and Mediation of Goal Orientations

Utilizing the Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) as the theoretical framework, this study proposed a moderated mediation model investigating the complex functioning mechanisms of how self-efficacy beliefs and leader support can be related to research motivation among Chinese university teachers. A group of 310 Chinese teachers working in different universities completed an online survey. Results from structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis revealed distinct influencing paths from the predictor variables (i.e., self-efficacy and leader support) to the outcome variables (i.e., intrinsic and extrinsic research motivation). Specifically, self-efficacy beliefs predicted both mastery and performance goal orientations; mastery goal orientation, in turn, positively affected intrinsic and extrinsic research motivation. In contrast, leader support was non-significant for the both types of goal orientations, but exerted strong direct influences on the both types of research motivation. Bootstrapping methods in SEM showed that it was primarily the mastery goal orientation that mediated the relationships between self-efficacy beliefs and research motivation. Furthermore, the results from the SEM and simple slope analysis revealed that leader support moderated the association between self-efficacy and extrinsic research motivation.