Does a creative identity encourage innovative behaviour? Evidence from knowledge-intensive IT service firms
European Journal of Innovation Management
ISSN: 1460-1060
Article publication date: 12 November 2019
Issue publication date: 7 September 2020
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of an employee’s personal creative identity on their innovation behaviour in knowledge-intensive information technology (IT) service provider firms. It further investigates the mediating role of an employee’s creative process engagement (CPE) and the moderating effects of the organizational creative climate on creative identity-innovative behaviour (IB) relationships.
Design/methodology/approach
This study follows a quantitative method. Using a multi-item survey instrument, a total of 316 questionnaires were collected from the employees of IT service provider firms in Chittagong, Bangladesh. The collected data were analysed using structural equation modelling, factor analysis and path analysis to test the hypotheses and to assess the moderating and mediating effects of the variables.
Findings
The results revealed the significant influence of an employee’s creative personal identity (CPI) on their IB. The mediation analysis revealed that CPE mediates the association between a CPI and IB. The study also found a significant moderating effect of a creative organizational climate between a CPI and CPE.
Research limitations/implications
Based on the premise of the interactionist approach of creativity and role identity theory, this study contributes to the creativity and innovation literature by providing empirical support for the relationship between a personal creative identity, organizational creative culture, CPE and IB in IT service organizations.
Originality/value
This study adopts a distinct model comprising four different variables to investigate an employee’s IB from a multi-level perspective, i.e., a creative identity and CPE at the individual level and a creative climate and IB at the organizational level. This integrated model using predictors from multiple levels supports the theoretical assumption that IB results from the interaction of individual and organizational level factors.
Keywords
Citation
Uddin, M.A., Priyankara, H.P.R. and Mahmood, M. (2020), "Does a creative identity encourage innovative behaviour? Evidence from knowledge-intensive IT service firms", European Journal of Innovation Management, Vol. 23 No. 5, pp. 877-894. https://doi.org/10.1108/EJIM-06-2019-0168
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited