This article presents an integrative model of creative self-efficacy and creative collective efficacy. This model investigates the influence of creative self-efficacy and its determinants (knowledge gained through experience and by observation, verbal encouragements from a third party, and emotional activation) as well as the influence of social proximity on creative collective efficacy. In addition, the predictive validity of creative collective efficacy is studied using perceived originality of teams' creative outcomes. The results confirm the proposed model, including the hypothesized hierarchy of creative self-efficacy determinants. The existence of a quadratic relationship between social proximity and creative collective efficacy, and the partially mediating role of creative self-efficacy between its determinants and creative collective efficacy are also shown.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to focus on building and testing a model of buyer‐seller relationships from a dialectical perspective. It aims to provide both academics and managers with a better understanding of the relationships among the key relational variables in business settings. The model distinguishes four levels of social complexity (individual, interaction, relationship, and intergroup level) and includes the key relational variable for each level.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from 151 French professional buyers. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis was used to test the validity of the measures. The hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling. The empirical test includes linear, non‐linear, moderating, and mediating effects testing.Research limitations/implicationsThe limitations of the study relate to the sample of respondents and the measurement scales. More precisely, the sample is based on a unique company's customer data file and a single informant source. Results confirm the hypothesized model and its four‐level structure.Practical implicationsThis study demonstrates that buyer relational orientation as well as seller expertise influence the course of business relationships. Although the necessity to train salespeople is obvious, the importance of training buyers is not as well documented. This study shows that they both need to be trained to manage business relationships appropriately.Originality/valueThis research examines the relationships among the key relational variables within a framework of four successive levels of explanation. It provides an alternative approach to studying business relationships.

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