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The Role of Cynicism and Personal Traits in the Organizational Political Climate and Sustainable Creativity

Author

Listed:
  • Qi Zhang

    (Antai College of Economics and Management, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China)

  • Siwei Sun

    (International Business School Suzhou, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou 215123, China)

  • Xingshan Zheng

    (Antai College of Economics and Management, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China)

  • Wei Liu

    (Discipline of International Business, The University of Sydney, Sydney 2006, Australia)

Abstract

Innovation, as the key concern of sustainable human resource management, is one of the motivators of the sustainable development of organizations. However, past literature believes that innovation may be hindered by the organizational political climate. Based on the self-determination theory, this study proposes a new perspective to transfer the effect of this climate on innovation through the mediating role of cynicism and the moderating role of personal trait regulatory focus. Findings from 341 seven-point Likert survey questionnaires of employees in a Chinese automobile enterprise revealed that: first, the organizational political climate (expect interpersonal relationships) negatively predicted radical creativity and incremental creativity; second, organizational cynicism mediates the negative relationship between the organizational political climate and radical creativity and incremental creativity; third, the mediating effect of the organizational cynicism relationship between the organizational political climate and dualistic creativity could be affected by the personal trait regulatory focus. This study fills the gap in the relationship between organizational political climate and innovation. Additionally, this study proposes several suggestions for the practitioners and further research.

Suggested Citation

  • Qi Zhang & Siwei Sun & Xingshan Zheng & Wei Liu, 2019. "The Role of Cynicism and Personal Traits in the Organizational Political Climate and Sustainable Creativity," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(1), pages 1-17, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:1:p:257-:d:195361
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    4. Cong Cheng & Liebing Cao & Huihui Zhong & Yining He & Jiahong Qian, 2019. "The Influence of Leader Encouragement of Creativity on Innovation Speed: Findings from SEM and fsQCA," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-17, May.
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    8. Małgorzata Dobrowolska & Maria Flakus & Magdalena Ślazyk-Sobol & Adam Wawoczny, 2020. "Strengthening Professional Efficacy Due to Sustainable Development of Social and Individual Competences—Empirical Research Study among Polish and Slovak Employees of the Aviation Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-13, August.
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