Unlocking Micro-Level Employee Creativity Through Empirical Investigation of ‘will do’, ‘can do’ and ‘Success-oriented’ Personality Dispositional Characteristics: A Sequential Mediation Mechanism from Higher Education Institutes of Pakistan

Abstract

With the continuous expansion of information processes, and also the dynamic and vigorous work settings, entails Higher Education Institutions (HEI’s) as knowledge diffusion platforms which heightens employee creativity (EC). However, predominantly empirical studies specifically examined micro-perspective of EC exclusively in the Service sector and primarily in Education context are inadequate. Thus, the assurance and application of creativity has been considered a major challenge for Academics and as well as Administrative employees from HEI’s context. Regardless of a large body of knowledge on examining Personality-Creativity mechanism, however there is barely any research emphasizing on Education-specific Conceptual model of Creativity. Such as, identifying and recognizing Personality Dispositions i.e., Proactive Personality (‘will do’), Core self-Evaluation (‘can do’) and Psychological Capital (‘success oriented’) which trigger to stimulate Employee Creativity from HEI’s in Pakistan. The study further inspected the Personality-Creativity mechanism through an integrative approach between Personal, Cognitive, Motivational and Workrelated Contextual dynamics based upon Componential Theory of Creativity. Moreover, the mediating role of Cognitive dynamic (i.e., Thrive at work) is assessed between Personality dispositional characteristics (i.e., Proactive Personality; Core Self Evaluation; and Psychological Capital) and Employee Creativity. While, the study further inspected the moderating role of motivational aspect (i.e., Creative Self-Leadership) and work-related contextual dynamic (i.e., Support for Creativity) to reinforce the said relationship. Utilizing a sample of 694 Academics and Administrative HEI’s employees from Pakistan based on survey questionnaire collected through stratified random sampling technique. The study hypotheses i.e., direct, mediation, and moderation were tested through statistical software i.e., SmartPLS 4 and SPSS. The study results highlight the significant support for all the anticipated direct hypothesis and found PsyCap (‘success oriented’), signifies a state-Like Personality facets has a strong influence on EC followed by PP (‘will do’) and CSE (‘can do’). This permits the HEI’s practitioners need to relies more on aframework that incorporates Fixed-Personality traits (i.e., PP, CSE) such as selection measure criteria for Human resource practices, however more malleable/state-like factor (i.e., PsyCap) incorporates as training and development. Furthermore, the individual mediation and moderation results were also found as statistically significant. Additionally, the study offers implications for HEI’s practitioner, managers and policy planners specifically in Pakistan and afar. Since, this study underwrites the literature by establishing a Micro-level integrated framework specifically for creativity development in HEI’s, and hence filled a vacuum towards this research area. Thus, adaptation of this framework helps HEI’s to take account of all employees in accomplishing their anticipated level of creativity. The policy planners can formulate themselves to develop and improve policy instruments supporting progression of Personal capabilities, creative cognitions, and thus heightens employee creativity contributing towards the success of HEIs. Further inquiry in this line of research is also encouraged.