Creative Self‐Efficacy and Innovative Behavior in a Service Setting: Optimism as a Moderator

TLDR

Creativity research has largely linked personality traits to innovative behavior, yet few studies have examined how positive psychological traits influence innovation in organizational settings. This study investigates the relationships among creative self‑efficacy, optimism, and innovative behavior, and tests optimism as a moderator. The authors collected longitudinal data over two periods from 120 spa employees at a diet and beauty salon company in Taiwan. Employees with high creative self‑efficacy displayed higher innovative behavior, and optimism amplified this effect when creative self‑efficacy was high, though it had no direct influence.

Abstract

ABSTRACT Creativity research on the personality approach has focused on the relationship between individual attributes and innovative behavior. However, few studies have empirically examined the effects of positive psychological traits on innovative behavior in an organizational setting. This study examines the relationships among creative self‐efficacy, optimism, and innovative behavior as well as the moderating effect of optimism. Longitudinal data across two periods were collected from 120 spa employees of a diet and beauty salon company in Taiwan. After controlling for the effects of job tenure and the Big Five personality traits, this study found that employees with a high level of creative self‐efficacy demonstrate a high level of innovative behavior at work, and optimism does not have a direct effect on employees' innovative behavior, but it does play a moderating role. When employees' creative self‐efficacy is high, those with greater optimism exhibit greater innovative behavior at work. Toward the end, this paper offers suggestions for future research and discusses the practical implications of this study.