| dc.description.abstract | The current research considers the role of support for creativity in two studies, respectively the perceived and expressed support for creativity. Study one uses a multilevel analysis (n = 2996) to investigate whether individual and organizational characteristics explain the climate for creativity employees perceive, using Ekvalls’ nine-dimensional model for the climate for creativity. Findings suggest that mostly individual characteristics (age, gender, educational attainment, and organizational tenure) explain employees’ assessment, as opposed to organizational size and industry. It was concluded that employees will constitute their own representation of the work environment, but that a significant part remains to be explained on the organizational level, which was not accounted for by size and industry. Study two (n = 131) uses surveys to investigate employees’ attitudes towards creative traits to measure the support employees express towards creative traits and new ideas. It was found that people show less support for creative traits as opposed to non-creative traits. Especially people who support non-creative traits showed a wrong understanding of creativity. Subsequently, this expressed support is explained using the climate for creativity and the prevention and promotion focus, in which the latter are expected to fulfill a mediator function. Results show that no mediator structure is distinguished, though both the promotion focus and the climate for creativity partially explain the support employees express towards new ideas. It was concluded that a paradoxical role for creativity in organizations was confirmed, and that this paradox was explained by the organizational climate. | |
