Relationships Between Work Team Climate, Individual Motivation, and Creativity

Abstract

Creativity of employees is a major focus of research in the organization sciences. In this study we examine the relationships between both micro (intrinsic and extrinsic motivation) and molar (team climate) variables with manager-rated creativity of R&D employees. Specifically, we hypothesize that (a) extrinsic motivation has a direct relationship with creativity, (b) intrinsic motivation is more strongly related to creativity when extrinsic motivation is low compared to when it is high, (c) team collaborative and competitive climates have direct effects on creativity as well as indirect effects through individual motivation, and (d) intrinsic motivation mediates relationships of the climate variables with creativity, which in turn is moderated by extrinsic motivation. Data were collected from R&D engineers and their managers at a large high-tech company headquartered in Taiwan. Results indicate that a collaborative team climate has a direct positive relationship with creativity as well as one that operates through intrinsic motivation, which in turn was moderated by employee’s extrinsic motivation level. A competitive team climate positively related to extrinsic motivation, but extrinsic motivation did not directly relate to creativity. However, extrinsic motivation did have strong relationships with creativity when intrinsic motivation was low. Results suggest that perhaps the different types of motivation relate to different types of creativity (incremental versus radical). Managerial and theoretical implications of results are discussed as are the study’s limitations.

Cognitive Diversity and Creativity: The Moderating Effect of Collaborative Climate

“…Also, diversity is essential for creating ideas, however if the work group suffers from ambiguous, selfishness, conflicts or insecure feelings; it may result in negative outcomes. The study revealed also that the Collaborative climate was positively related to creativity in the work group, agreeing with prior researches (Zhu, et al, 2016;Nemiro, 2015). In addition, collaborative climate enhances / enriches the group creativity associated with the cognitive diversity.…”

“…collaboration climate reflects the common perception of interpersonal collaborations in the work place. This climate positively relates to team members' creativity ( Zhu, Gardner, & Chen, 2016). Collaborative climate is one of the major factors that influencing the effectiveness of knowledge process within team members (Sveiby & Simons, 2002), and arising the hidden knowledge within the team (Černe, Nerstad, & Dys, 2014).…”

“…This climate can decrease the negative side of conflict process that intervein the cognitive diversity-team effectiveness relationship (Parayitam & Papenhausen, 2016). It is characterized by sharing individual efforts, knowledge, and resources with other colleagues to achieve common goals (Zhu, Gardner, & Chen, 2016).…”

“…Or testing the role of overall collaborations. For example, Zhu et al (2016) argued that collaborative overall has a positive and significant direct relationship with team members' creativity. Additionally, Cirella, et al (2014) concluded that collaboration overall essential for developing team creativity and managers should develop a climate that facilitates coordination, collaboration and creativity.…”

Work motivation and temporary organizing – an overview of the state and perspectives of reward practices in project-based organizations

“…Finally, Zhu et al collected data from R&D engineers and their managers in a large high-tech company headquartered in Taiwan [70]. Results indicate that a collaborative team climate has a direct positive relationship with creativity, but also indirect effects through individual motivation [70].…”