Based on its relevance and influence to a considerable range of fields within the business world, creativity has become a topic of growing interest. Since recent research by Chávez-Eakle, Eakle and Cruz Fuentes (2012) revealed that certain personality traits are related to creativity, the negative relationship between conscientiousness and creativity appears to be well established for individuals and groups across different contexts (Robert & Cheung, 2010). However, little is known about the underlying processes of this relationship. To address this need, the present study examines the possibility that the relationship between conscientiousness and employees' creativity is mediated by the extent to which individuals are engaged in their work. On the basis of existing literature, it is hypothesized that work engagement mediates the relationship between conscientiousness and employees' creativity. Specifically, it is argued that conscientiousness positively relates to work engagement and that in turn, work engagement positively relates to creativity. Using a large multi-source field study, the results of the correlation and regression analysis supported almost all hypotheses. Thus, work engagement was found to fully mediate the relationship. Results also revealed that conscientiousness was positively associated with work engagement and that work engagement was positively related to creativity. However, we did not find support for Hypothesis 1, which predicted conscientiousness and creativity are negatively related. Implications and suggestions for practice and future research are provided.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Theory
2.1 The Relationship Between Conscientiousness and Employees' Creativity
2.2 The Relationship between Conscientiousness and Work Engagement
2.3 The Relationship Between Work Engagement and Employees' Creativity
3. Methods
3.1 Sample and Procedure
3.2 Measures
3.2.1 Conscientiousness
3.2.2 Work Engagement
3.2.3 Employees' creativity
3.3 Analytic Approach
4. Results
5. Discussion and Conclusion
5.1 Summary of Results
5.2 Theoretical and Managerial Implications
5.3 Limitations and Future Directions
5.4 Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This study investigates whether work engagement acts as a mediator in the established negative relationship between the personality trait of conscientiousness and employee creativity. It aims to determine if higher levels of engagement can reverse the typically restrictive effect that conscientious, rule-oriented behavior has on creative thinking within organizational settings.
- Mediation analysis of work engagement in personality-creativity links
- Impact of conscientiousness on task-oriented work behavior
- Positive correlation between work engagement and creative outcomes
- Managerial strategies for fostering creativity through employee engagement
Excerpt from the Book
The Relationship Between Conscientiousness and Employees' Creativity
For the last decades, the study of highly creative individuals and their personalities has become an increasingly important field in management (Chávez-Eakle et al., 2012). Hence, the question of whether certain personality traits can predict creative behavior should be investigated. According to Lin, Hsu, Chen, and Wang (2012), there are several personality traits that have been identified as being related to creativity. One of the first to attract the attention of organizational behavior was conscientiousness, as it is also positively related to the overall job performance (Landy & Conte, 2010).
Conscientiousness is defined as the "quality of having positive intentions and carrying them out with care" (Landy & Conte, 2010: 111). As mentioned above, conscientious people are characterized as being task- and results-oriented; organized and persistent with a high degree of striving for achievement; dependable; competent; self-disciplined; deliberate and reliable (Barrick & Mount, 1991). This behavior, however, actually restricts the employees' ability to think creatively and produce innovative outcomes, since conscientious employees tend to maintain already established rules and practices and are less prone to change their behavior. In addition, highly conscientious people are "less willing to abandon old patterns of behavior, even after it is apparent that the behavior is inappropriate" (LePine, 2003: 31). This implies that individuals who are highly conscientious are more likely to adopt a systematic and organized approach when dealing with tasks. As people are more organized and considerate, they are less likely to think outside their normal work constraints and to generate new ideas. This negative relationship between conscientiousness and employees' creativity is also supported by empirical results and previous research (Feist, 1998; Furnham, Batey, Anand & Manfield, 2008; King, Walker & Broyles, 1996; McRae, 1987; Wolfradt & Pretz, 2001).
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Presents the relevance of employee creativity in competitive markets and introduces the research gap regarding the relationship between conscientiousness and creativity.
2. Theory: Explores the established negative link between conscientiousness and creativity, the positive link between conscientiousness and work engagement, and the mediating role of engagement in creative performance.
3. Methods: Details the multi-source field study design, involving 488 respondents, and describes the psychometric measures used for conscientiousness, work engagement, and creativity.
4. Results: Reports on the statistical correlation and regression analyses, confirming the mediating effect of work engagement while noting the lack of a significant negative direct correlation between conscientiousness and creativity.
5. Discussion and Conclusion: Evaluates the findings, addresses theoretical and managerial implications for human resource management, and discusses study limitations and future research directions.
Keywords
Conscientiousness, Creativity, Work Engagement, Mediation, Organizational Behavior, Human Resource Management, Personality Traits, Employee Performance, Inconsistent Mediation, Job Satisfaction, Innovation, Task Orientation, Psychological Empowerment, Workplace Psychology, Management Practices
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The research examines the relationship between the personality trait "conscientiousness" and the creativity of employees, specifically investigating how "work engagement" mediates this relationship.
What are the primary themes discussed?
The central themes include personality psychology in the workplace, the definition and drivers of creativity, the role of work engagement as a mediator, and the practical implications for organizational management.
What is the main research question?
The study asks whether the negative relationship between conscientiousness and employee creativity can be reversed or mitigated by the level of work engagement an individual demonstrates.
Which scientific methodology was applied?
The author conducted a large multi-source field study, utilizing correlation analysis, hierarchical regression, and the Sobel test to statistically verify the proposed mediation model.
What topics are covered in the main body of the work?
The work covers theoretical frameworks of personality and creativity, the influence of work engagement on performance, detailed data collection and measurement procedures, and empirical statistical results.
Which keywords define the research?
Key terms include Conscientiousness, Creativity, Work Engagement, Mediation, Organizational Behavior, and Human Resource Management.
What was a surprising finding regarding Hypothesis 1?
Contrary to existing literature, the study did not find a statistically significant negative relationship between conscientiousness and creativity, leading to the rejection of Hypothesis 1.
How does this study contribute to managerial practice?
It suggests that managers can increase employee creativity not by changing personality traits, but by actively stimulating work engagement through team building and motivational incentives.
What is "inconsistent mediation" in this context?
It describes a scenario where the inclusion of work engagement as a mediator alters the direct relationship between conscientiousness and creativity, potentially suppressing the expected negative impact.
- Quote paper
- Julia Gerken (Author), 2013, Reversing the Negative Relationship between Conscientiousness and Creativity, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/299922
