Motivation and hindrance: the mixed blessing of paradoxical leader behaviour for workplace creativity in China

ABSTRACT

Drawing upon the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model, this study tests an integrated theoretical framework in which paradoxical leader behaviour (PLB) is theorized to hinder and motivate employee creativity through role ambiguity and creative self-efficacy. The moderating effects of job complexity and cognitive flexibility on the above effects are also investigated. The 317 samples collected from the three-wave survey in China demonstrate that in the hindering process, PLB attenuates employee creativity via role ambiguity, and in the motivating process, PLB increases employee creativity via creative self-efficacy. Furthermore, cognitive flexibility and job complexity can magnify the positive impact of PLB on employee creativity via creative self-efficacy, while cognitive flexibility can buffer the negative impact of PLB on employee creativity via role ambiguity.

KEYWORDS:

• Paradoxical leader behaviour
• double-edged sword effects
• creative self-efficacy
• role ambiguity
• creativity

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This research was funded by the research grant from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NNSFC), No. 71972155, the MOE (Ministry of Education in China) Project of Humanities and Social Sciences, No. 20XJC630001, and the Youth Innovation Team of Shaanxi Universities.

Notes on contributors

Zizhen Geng

Zizhen Geng is a Professor at the Business School of Xi’an International Studies University. Her research interests include employee/team creativity, organizational innovation, and leadership. She has published in International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, Journal of Applied Business Research, and Journal of Service Theory and Practice.

Yanfen Wang

Yanfen Wang is a PhD student at the School of Management of the University of Science and Technology of China. Her research interests include organizational behaviour and employee creativity. She has published in R&D Management.

Youqing Fan

Youqing Fan is a Lecturer at the School of Business at Western Sydney University. His research interests include employee/team creativity, employee voice, and leadership. His works have been published in leading international journals such as the International Journal of Human Resource Management, Journal of Health Psychology, Journal of Cleaner Production, Asia Business and Management, and Habitat International.

Chunxia Shan

Chunxia Shan is an Associate Professor at the Business School of Xi’an International Studies University. Her research interests include technological innovation and organizational behaviour.