Broad College of Business, Michigan State, United States
Although employee creativity can contribute to organizational innovation and effectiveness, research also acknowledges the dark side of employee creativity because creativity also can predict destructive work behaviors. Integrating attribution theory and the cognitive appraisal theory of emotions, we investigate conditions and mechanisms that shed light on when and why employee creativity triggers positive versus negative behaviors directed at coworkers. Specifically, we hypothesize that when creativity is attributed to effort, employees experience authentic pride, and when it is attributed to ability, they experience hubristic pride. Moreover, we hypothesize that the average level of coworker creativity weakens the effect of employee creativity on hubristic pride to a greater extent than on authentic pride. Finally, we hypothesize that authentic pride, in turn, motivates coworker helping and inhibits coworker incivility, whereas hubristic pride motivates coworker incivility and inhibits coworker helping. The results of a multisource and time-lagged field study generally support our hypotheses. We conclude by discussing theoretical and practical implications.
