Workplace hurdles and innovative behavior: A meta-analysis

Abstract

Many studies have assumed that workplace hurdles have uniform effects on innovative behavior and that motivational mechanisms are the key explanation. Guided by the conservation of resources theory, this study argues that different subgroups of workplace hurdles might relate to innovative behavior differently and that the mechanism underlying the relationship between workplace hurdles and innovative behavior can be informed by an organizational attachment perspective. Meta-analytical data from 544 samples (N = 188,572) showed that (a) social hurdles were more strongly and negatively related to innovative behavior than were task and organizational hurdles, (b) the absence of favorable conditions was more strongly and negatively related to innovative behavior than were proximal stressors, and (c) hindrance stressors were more strongly and negatively related to innovative behavior than were challenge stressors. The path analysis results also provide support for the proposed theoretical process: workplace hurdles weaken organizational attachment, which in turn lowers innovative behavior. Crucially, organizational attachment remained a significant mediator even when I controlled for the mediating effects of job and creative motivation. Moderator analyses showed that the study relationships were generally robust.