When and How Will Calling Enhance Creative Performance? The Role of Job Crafting and Inclusive Lea

Abstract

Research on creative performance has drawn much attention, especially its motivational antecedents. However, few studies have examined when and how calling, an integration of various motivational aspects, uniquely contributes to creativity performance in non-Western contexts. Based on the self-regulatory perspective, we investigate the underlying behavioural mechanism between calling and creative performance using a sample of 274 dyad data among Chinese employees and their supervisors. We also examine inclusive leadership, representing the ancient Chinese Taoism ideology, as a boundary condition. Results indicated that calling (employee-rated at time 1) related positively to creative performance (supervisor-rated at time 2) and individuals’ job crafting behaviour (employee-rated at time 1). Job crafting provided an explanatory mechanism between calling and creativity performance. Inclusive leadership (employee-reported at time 1) showed a moderated effect on the mediation model. Findings of this study have both theoretical and practical implications.