Social capital dimensions and employee creativity: Does cognitive style matter?

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the theoretical limitations of the social network theory applied on employee creativity.

Design/methodology/approach

By combining the social network theory and componential model of creativity, this study studies the possible impact of social capital through its three dimensions (structural, relational and cognitive dimension) on individual creativity, to explore then the moderating effect of cognitive style as individual characteristic on the structural dimension of social capital such weak ties and employee creativity.

Findings

The results show that, on a sample of 95 employees belonging to four companies in the IT sector, predictions based on the social network theory are only weakly verified. Indeed, the relational and cognitive dimensions of social capital do not have a significant impact on individual creativity.

Originality/value

Based on Kim et al.’s (2016) call for future research, this study extends the assumptions of the social network theory announcing that social capital through its structural dimension may have an identical impact on individual creativity in all circumstances.

Citation

Oussi, R. and Chtourou, W. (2020), "Social capital dimensions and employee creativity: Does cognitive style matter?", Competitiveness Review, Vol. 30 No. 1, pp. 4-21. https://doi.org/10.1108/CR-11-2019-0124