Employees and Creativity: Social Ties and Access to Heterogeneous Knowledge

Abstract

This study dealt with employee social ties, knowledge heterogeneity contacts, and the generation of creativity. Although prior studies demonstrated a relationship between network position and creativity, inadequate attention has been paid to network ties and heterogeneity knowledge contacts. This study considered the social interaction processes among employees that might account for differences impacts in employee creativity, taken from network perspective and studies of employees’ knowledge exploration of heterogeneity contacts on the genesis of novelty ideas. Samples of 350 employees were selected from an international firm in Taiwan and were compared to the influence of these mechanisms on employee creativity. The findings suggest that, although social ties matters, access to heterogeneous knowledge is of equal importance for employee creativity generation. Receiving help and support from colleagues positively moderating the social ties, heterogeneous knowledge, and creativity. Implications and limitations are discussed.