IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/jobhdp/v143y2017icp54-68.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Configuring challenge and hindrance contexts for introversion and creativity: Joint effects of task complexity and guanxi management

Author

Listed:
  • Zhang, Xiaomeng
  • Zhou, Jing
  • Kwan, Ho Kwong

Abstract

We conducted a phenomenon-based research study in China. Starting with interviews and observations to capture the phenomenon, we built on and extended the challenge stressor–hindrance stressor framework to investigate how task complexity interacts with managing guanxi with a supervisor to influence the relationship between introversion and creativity. In Study 1, using a sample of 597 employees and their supervisors, we hypothesized and found a three-way interaction effect between introversion, task complexity, and guanxi management. For employees who scored high on the introversion trait continuum, the joint condition of high task complexity and low guanxi management was the most conducive to creativity and the joint condition of low task complexity and high guanxi management was the least conducive. The beneficial effect of high task complexity and low guanxi management gradually diminished and ultimately disappeared as employees scored lower on the introversion continuum, whereas the adverse effect of low task complexity and high guanxi management gradually appeared and ultimately intensified rapidly as employees moved from lower to higher levels of introversion. In Study 2, we replicated these results using a sample of 243 employees and their supervisors from a different industry. We discuss the implications of these results for future research and management practice.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhang, Xiaomeng & Zhou, Jing & Kwan, Ho Kwong, 2017. "Configuring challenge and hindrance contexts for introversion and creativity: Joint effects of task complexity and guanxi management," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 143(C), pages 54-68.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jobhdp:v:143:y:2017:i:c:p:54-68
    DOI: 10.1016/j.obhdp.2017.02.003
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0749597817301024
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.obhdp.2017.02.003?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Li, Yunjian & Song, Yixiao & Sun, Yanming & Zeng, Mingzhuo, 2024. "When do employees learn from artificial intelligence? The moderating effects of perceived enjoyment and task-related complexity," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    2. Xiao-Yu Liu & Ho Kwong Kwan & Xiaomeng Zhang, 2020. "Introverts maintain creativity: A resource depletion model of negative workplace gossip," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 37(1), pages 325-344, March.
    3. Cheng-Hua Tzeng, 2023. "How employees respond to client feedback on their creative work: a microfoundations approach to absorptive capacity," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 22(3), pages 1155-1184, July.
    4. Yongbo Sun & Xiaojuan Hu & Yixin Ding, 2019. "Learning or Relaxing: How Do Challenge Stressors Stimulate Employee Creativity?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-20, March.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:jobhdp:v:143:y:2017:i:c:p:54-68. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/obhdp .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.