Creativity gain or drain: The dual association between boundary-spanning and creativity.

Area of Science:

• Organizational Behavior
• Creativity Studies
• Knowledge Management

Background:

• Boundary-spanning behavior is crucial for knowledge inflow and organizational goal achievement.
• External engagement can both stimulate and inhibit employee creativity.
• Conservation of Resources (COR) Theory provides a framework for understanding resource dynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the dual impact of boundary-spanning on employee creativity.
• To examine the mechanisms of resource gain and resource drain in relation to creativity.
• To offer insights for optimizing boundary-spanning strategies in organizations.

Main Methods:

• An experimental study with 299 participants.
• A field study involving 331 employees and 49 supervisors.
• Analysis of how external engagement affects creative thinking via resource dynamics.

Main Results:

• Boundary-spanning behavior demonstrates a dual effect on employee creativity, acting as both a facilitator and an inhibitor.
• Resource gain from external engagement can foster creativity, while resource drain can impede it.
• The study identified key mechanisms through which external interactions influence creative outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Organizations can leverage boundary-spanning for creativity by managing resource allocation effectively.
• Balancing the demands of external engagement is key to harnessing its creative benefits while mitigating stress.
• Findings offer practical strategies for businesses in innovation-driven markets.