The Effect of Knowledge Mobilization on Innovative Behavior of Public Administration Researchers—The Mediating Role of Creative Self‐Efficacy

Knowledge mobilization serves as a powerful enabler to dismantle the “barriers” between knowledge entities, foster collaborative knowledge production, and advance innovation in public administration. This study explores the pathways through which knowledge mobilization influences the innovative behavior of public administration researchers. Using survey data collected from 155 public administration researchers in China, the analysis leverages SPSS and its PROCESS plugin to examine both the direct effects of knowledge mobilization on innovative behavior and the mediating role of creative self‐efficacy. The findings reveal that knowledge mobilization—encompassing the dimensions of knowledge dissemination, knowledge acquisition, and knowledge response—exerts a significant and positive influence on innovative behavior. Additionally, creative self‐efficacy is found to partially mediate this relationship. Notably, the study highlights that collaboration between public administration researchers and practitioners enhances researchers' creative self‐efficacy, thereby driving their innovative behavior.