Purpose Previous research has considered human motivation as a determinant of inquisitiveness, learning and innovation. However, how student’s motivation affects both exploitative/exploratory research outcomes has not yet been sufficiently addressed. The purpose of this paper is to examine self-determination theory (SDT) as a conceptual tool to understand post-graduate student’s academic motivation and how it affects two types of ambidextrous outcomes (exploitative and exploratory), and thus posit relational capital as an important mediator in the motivation–innovation process. Design/methodology/approach The authors draw conclusions using 331 valid post-graduate foreign scholars data collected via online survey in three Chinese Universities and conduct data analysis using the structural equation modeling technique (AMOS). Findings Results indicate that: academic motivation and perceived collaboration capability both has a significant effect on exploitation behavior; there was no significant relationship between academic motivation and tendency to collaborate with actors within their networks; collaboration capability and exploitation behavior mediate the relationship between academic motivation and exploration behavior; and further a complementary link was found to exist between exploitation behavior and exploration behavior in students attempt to be ambidextrous. Originality/value The authors advance innovation research by expanding SDT to include relational perspective as an antecedent of ambidexterity (exploration/exploitation behaviors) and provide new insights into current understanding of research engagement in higher education settings. The authors highlight some implications for educational agencies seeking to promote the emergence of psychological and relational conditions to enhance novelty in post-graduate internationalized education.
This study investigated the role of cognitive-(absorptive capacity), psychological-(subjective-wellbeing) and cultural-fit-factors as predictors of academic achievement-novelty in a Chinese-C9-league-University. We addressed the question of what drive student’s achievement of high graduations requirements and innovativeness in their Host-University; focusing mainly on whether interactionistic-nature-(fit-capabilities) are better mechanisms. The quantitative approach was adopted; collect 234 valid data via survey questionnaire, and conduct analysis via structural equation modeling technique. We found that individual-absorptive-capacity has significant effect on supervisor-fit, but a non-significant effect on university-fit dimensions of cultural-fit. Subjective-wellbeing significantly affects both dimensions of cultural-fit. The findings further show how supervisor-fit and university-fit indirectly mediate the (absorptive-capacity, subjective-wellbeing)-achievement-novelty relationship. We highlight the importance of cultural-diversity-awareness; considering supervisor-institutional-fit-factors in research-mentorship-development to support international-students ‘induction for research productivity in educational-settings.
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