Network Relationships and Individual Creativity between Members within a Small Group: Trust in Leader Moderating Effect of the Comparison

Abstract

AbstractThis study was studied network and individual creativity relationships between members within a small group from social network point of view. In particular, the trust in leader was considered as moderating variable in social network and creativity relationships. Furthermore, studied was figured out there are differences effective for individual creativity by considering individuals’ way of working (exploitation vs. exploration). For this, we have assigned the same task for the university students who are taking the same subject, and asked them to make the group to solve that assignment. And we surveyed them about the network among the group members that is formed in the process of carrying out the assignment. There were total 56 teams and analyzed 308 valid questionnaires data. After analysis, closeness centrality of a member in that small group was take advantage of the exploitation of existing knowledge and information on positive effect, which promotes individual creativity, but, to pursue exploration of new knowledge or information did not have a significant influence. On the other hand, when trust in leader is high, closeness centrality was the important affecting factor for exploration, but when it was low, closeness centrality rather affected exploitation significantly. In each case, it was a positive outcome for individual creativity.KeywordsIndividual creativityCloseness centralityExploitationExplorationTrust in leader