Network Contacts’ Attributes and Psychological Conditions for Creative Performance

The widespread use of digital technologies and the growth of the global economy have imposed an abundance of complex challenges, requiring employees to possess specialized knowledge and distinctive skills to tackle them. It is crucial for companies to encourage their employees to engage with a diverse range of individuals to gain varied perspectives and knowledge. In recent years, researchers have recognized the significance of employees’ social relationships for creativity and innovation and have adopted a “social network” approach to study this phenomenon. However, despite the growing interest in social networks and the social aspect of creativity, much of the work to date has focused on how the structural characteristics of individuals’ social networks are associated with their creativity. This focus on structural characteristics has often led to less attention being paid to the role of network contacts and to the psychological conditions associated with creativity. This study develops a comprehensive model examines the relationships between network contacts’ attributes in employee social networks and psychosocial conditions relevant to creativity. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.