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Stretch Goals and Radical Creativity: Cognitive Flexibility as a Key Contingency

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 May 2024

Zhiqiang Liu ,
Yuping Xu Open the ORCID record for Yuping Xu [Opens in a new window] ,
Ziyi Yu ,
Bingqing Wu  and
Zijing Wang
Zhiqiang Liu
Affiliation:
School of Management, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
Yuping Xu*
Affiliation:
School of Management, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
Ziyi Yu*
Affiliation:
School of Management, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
Bingqing Wu
Affiliation:
College of Business, Economics, and Computing, University of Wisconsin Parkside, Kenosha, WI 53144, USA
Zijing Wang
Affiliation:
School of Management, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
*
Corresponding author: Yuping Xu ([email protected])
Corresponding author: Yuping Xu ([email protected])
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Abstract

Although some organizations encourage employees to generate radical ideas by implementing stretch goals, the relationship between stretch goals and radical creativity is complicated. Unfortunately, existing research has not adequately addressed this issue. Therefore, we integrate signaling theory with creativity-related research and propose that the interaction between stretch goals and cognitive flexibility predicts employees' willingness to take risks, thereby influencing their engagement in radical creative activities and ultimately affecting their radical creativity. To test our hypotheses, we conduct two empirical studies. The results suggest that, for employees with high cognitive flexibility, stretch goals increase their willingness to assume risks, thus leading to improved engagement in radical creative activities and enhancing their radical creativity. Conversely, for employees with low cognitive flexibility, stretch goals decrease their willingness to take risks, which hampers their engagement in radical creative activities and their radical creativity. The theoretical contributions and practical implications of this study are also discussed.

摘要

摘要

尽管一些组织通过实施延展性目标来促使员工产生突破性想法，但延展性目标与突破性创造力之间的关系却十分复杂，现有的研究未能充分阐述。基于此，本研究通过整合信号理论与创造力相关的研究，提出延展性目标与员工认知灵活性交互影响员工冒险意愿，并进而影响他们的突破性创新参与、突破性创造力。为了验证这一观点，本文进行了两项实证研究。结果表明，对于认知灵活性高的员工，延展性目标增加了他们的冒险意愿，进而提高了他们的突破性创新参与和突破性创造力；对于认知灵活性低的员工，延展性目标降低了他们的冒险意愿，并对他们的突破性创新参与和突破性创造力产生抑制作用。研究具有一定的理论贡献和实践意义。

Keywords

cognitive flexibilityradical creative engagementradical creativitystretch goalswillingness to take risks延展性目标认知灵活性冒险意愿突破性创新参与突破性创造力
Type
Article
Information
Management and Organization Review , Volume 20 , Issue 4 , August 2024 , pp. 566 - 585
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of International Association for Chinese Management Research

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