Social Factors of Work-Environment Creativity

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate how work-environment creativity is related to the social factors of: organizational-culture perceptions, employee participation, knowledge sharing, and procedural justice. Questionnaires were administered to 154 employees of a government organization. Because the employees within a department worked in diverse teams and their work environments may have varied, our analysis was conducted at the level of the individual. Hierarchical regression analyses showed that work-environment creativity was related to adhocracy-culture perceptions, employee participation, and knowledge sharing; that knowledge sharing was related to cooperative-team perceptions and procedural justice; and that knowledge sharing mediated the relationships of cooperative-team perceptions and procedural justice with work-environment creativity. Practical implications of the results are discussed.

Appendix

Items and factor analysis results

Item	F1	F2	F3	F4	F5	F6
Adhocracy culture
The management style in my part of the organization is characterized by individual initiative, innovation, freedom, and uniqueness	.77	.07	−.06	.09	−.03	.04
The management style in my part of the organization is characterized by security of employment, longevity in position, and predictability
The head of my part of the organization is generally considered to be an entrepreneur, an innovator, or a risk taker	.67	−.10	−.13	−.07	.09	.16
The head of my part of the organization is generally considered to be a coordinator, an organizer, or an efficiency expert
The climate in my part of the organization emphasizes dynamism and readiness to meet new challenges. Trying new things and trial-and-error learning are common	.65	−.14	.07	.05	−.07	−.04
The climate in my part of the organization emphasizes permanence and stability. Expectations regarding procedures are clear and enforced
My part of the organization is dynamic and entrepreneurial. People are willing to stick out their necks and take risks	.42	.07	−.10	−.09	.06	.28
My part of the organization is very formal and structural. Bureaucratic procedures generally govern what people do
Knowledge sharing
Work testing yields constructive comments from colleagues	−.04	−.81	−.03	.05	−.07	.00
Inexperienced newcomers are coached by experienced colleagues	−.06	−.78	−.04	.03	−.22	.10
The coaching of new colleagues is well coordinated in our department	.01	−.76	.01	.05	.02	.06
Experienced colleagues provide constructive feedback on the work of less experienced colleagues	−.02	−.72	−.03	−.01	.05	.08
In my part of this organization I know who I can contact for specific questions	.03	−.48	−.02	−.03	.16	.07
Experienced colleagues help young colleagues by giving examples	.16	−.42	−.08	.00	.11	−.07
Procedural justice
My supervisor offers adequate justification for decisions made about my job	.08	.07	−.82	−.01	−.17	.00
When making decisions about my job, my supervisor offers explanations that make sense to me	−.07	−.03	−.75	.06	.24	−.03
Job decisions are made by my supervisor in an unbiased manner	−.07	.00	−.65	.09	.04	.00
All job decisions are applied consistently across all affected employees	.01	−.11	−.62	−.05	−.05	.14
To make job decisions, my supervisor collects accurate and complete information	.17	−.25	−.46	.10	.04	−.10
Employee participation
I can influence how the work is divided among me and my colleagues	−.11	−.03	−.02	.79	−.06	.17
I can participate in making decisions concerning my work	−.12	.04	−.06	.63	.06	.08
I can participate in making decisions concerning the nature of my job	.12	−.15	−.01	.57	−.05	.04
I can participate in making decisions concerning the definition of my tasks	.34	.01	−.28	.47	−.02	−.09
I can directly influence decisions concerning my part of the organization	.07	−.01	−.03	.45	.04	−.04
Cooperative team culture
The head of my part of the organization is generally considered to be a mentor, a facilitator, or a parent figure	.18	−.27	.02	.14	.59	.01
The head of my part of the organization is generally considered to be a hard driver, a producer, or a competitor
The glue that holds my organization together is loyalty and trust. Cohesion and teamwork are characteristics of this organization	.03	.07	.00	−.07	.53	.07
The glue that holds my part of the organization together is an emphasis on production and goal accomplishment. Market aggressiveness is a common theme
My part of the organization is a very personal place. It is like an extended family. People seem to share a lot of themselves	−.16	−.08	−.03	.03	.47	−.02
My part of the organization is very competitive in orientation. A major concern is with getting the job done. People are very production and achievement oriented
My part of the organization emphasizes human resources. High cohesion and morale in the firm are important	.28	.11	.02	.23	.42	.03
My part of the organization emphasizes competitive actions and achievement. Measurable goals are important
Work-environment creativity
My area of the organization is innovative	.04	−.16	.02	.22	.07	.63
People in my work group of the organization are creative	−.02	−.10	−.10	.02	.03	.61
My colleagues are open to new ideas	.19	−.10	.09	.27	−.01	.52
Eigenvalues	3.41	4.89	4.12	4.13	1.85	2.99