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.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Theory
- The Relationship Between Conscientiousness and Employees' Creativity
- Work Engagement and Creativity
- The Mediating Role of Work Engagement
- Methodology
- Results
- Discussion
- Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This study investigates the relationship between conscientiousness and creativity in the workplace, specifically exploring the mediating role of work engagement. It aims to challenge the existing literature that suggests a negative association between conscientiousness and creativity.
- The impact of conscientiousness on employee creativity
- The role of work engagement in fostering creativity
- The mediating effect of work engagement on the relationship between conscientiousness and creativity
- Implications for human resource management and organizational behavior
- Potential for reversing the negative relationship between conscientiousness and creativity
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The introduction sets the context for the study by highlighting the importance of employee creativity in today's competitive business landscape. It defines creativity and discusses the relevance of personality traits in influencing creative behavior.
The theory section delves into the relationship between conscientiousness and creativity, reviewing existing literature and empirical findings. It explores the potential for work engagement to mediate this relationship and discusses its theoretical underpinnings.
The methodology chapter outlines the data collection and analysis methods employed in the study. It details the empirical research approach and provides information on the statistical techniques used.
The results chapter presents the findings of the statistical analysis, highlighting the key relationships between conscientiousness, work engagement, and creativity.
The discussion chapter interprets the results in light of the theoretical framework and explores their implications for human resource management and organizational behavior.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
Conscientiousness, creativity, work engagement, mediation, human resource management, organizational behavior, employee performance, innovative capacity, competitive advantage.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Julia Gerken (Autor:in), 2013, Reversing the Negative Relationship between Conscientiousness and Creativity, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/299922
