The Role of Bricolage for Situational Constraints Affecting Daily Creativity Across Contexts

Abstract

Organizations more than ever demand their employees to be creative to ensure organizational performance and growth. Therefore, knowledge about the determinants of employee creativity is of substantial relevance. However, the literature is still inconclusive as to whether constraining employees facilitates or stifles employee creativity. We theorize that both assumptions are true, and that the consequences of constraints for employee creativity are dependent upon the individuals’ personality (i.e., their tendency for bricolage) and their work context (i.e., having to work in an emerging versus developed country). To test our hypotheses, we collected cross-cultural experience sampling data in India and the United Kingdom. Results from hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) analysis of 2,405 daily observations from 310 individuals show that situational constraints facilitate (vs. hinder) creativity for those individuals who are good (vs. poor) at making do with whatever is at hand (i.e., bricolage). Moreover, our study reveals that this contingent role of bricolage for situational constraints translating into daily creativity is more critical in the emerging country context than in the developed country context. We discuss implications for theory development on employee creativity in light of these cross-cultural differences.