摘要
As the core element of a firm＇s innovation capabilities and the source of firm growth, increasing employee creativity is a primary goal of organizations. Based on social cognitive theory, role theory, and creativity theory, this paper investigates the relationship between perception of normative expectations and employees＇ intrinsic interest in creativity, as well as explores the role of self-efficacy in this relationship. We use data from a survey questionnaire of 2,035 employees from 185 firms in different geographic locations across China. Our empirical findings reveal that when employees perceive a normative expectation coming from leaders, family or customers, coupled with the fear of failing to satisfy the expectations of those referent groups, it positively and significantly affects their intrinsic interest in creativity. In addition, self-efficacy not only positively and significantly affects employees＇ intrinsic interest in creativity, but also plays a partially mediating role in the relationship between the perception of expectation and employees＇ intrinsic interest in creativity.
As the core element of a firm＇s innovation capabilities and the source of firm growth, increasing employee creativity is a primary goal of organizations. Based on social cognitive theory, role theory, and creativity theory, this paper investigates the relationship between perception of normative expectations and employees＇ intrinsic interest in creativity, as well as explores the role of self-efficacy in this relationship. We use data from a survey questionnaire of 2,035 employees from 185 firms in different geographic locations across China. Our empirical findings reveal that when employees perceive a normative expectation coming from leaders, family or customers, coupled with the fear of failing to satisfy the expectations of those referent groups, it positively and significantly affects their intrinsic interest in creativity. In addition, self-efficacy not only positively and significantly affects employees＇ intrinsic interest in creativity, but also plays a partially mediating role in the relationship between the perception of expectation and employees＇ intrinsic interest in creativity.
基金
This research was partially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China （No. 71472184）, the Fundamental Research Funds for Central Universities, and the Research Funds of Renmin University of China （No. 14XNC002 and Normative Expectations on Employees＇ Intrinsic Interest in Creativity 16XNH085）. The authors specially thank the Research Center for Corporate Innovation and Competitiveness, Renmin University of China for providing data.
