Be creative as proactive? The impact of creative self-efficacy on employee creativity: A proactive perspective

Abstract

We develop and test a theoretical model of moderated mediation in which feedback-seeking behavior serves as an intervening mechanism that explains the association between creative self-efficacy and employee creativity. We also consider how regulatory focus influences the intervening role of feedback-seeking behavior in the creative self-efficacy-employee creativity relationship. To test our hypotheses, we conducted a Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) with 331 subordinate–supervisor dyads from northeast China. In support of our hypotheses, feedback-seeking behavior mediated the relation between creative self-efficacy and individual creativity, and this mediation effect was moderated by promotion focus. We discuss implications of the study and offer suggestions for future research.