The role of goal orientation, collaboration, and stress in shaping scientific creativity

This study delves into the relationship between goal orientation and scientific creativity, crucial for driving innovation and solving complex challenges. Drawing on goal orientation theory and situated expectancy-value theory, we investigated how different goal orientations influence scientific creativity among 248 university researchers. The findings indicate that both learning and performance approach goals significantly enhance scientific creativity through knowledge collaboration. Additionally, the strength of perceived work-related stressors modulates this relationship; stronger perceptions of these stressors intensify the positive effects of learning and performance goals on creativity. The study contributes to theoretical understandings in several ways. First, it expands on how goal orientation influences creativity within scientific domains. Second, it sheds light on the role of stress as a catalyst in scientific creativity. Finally, it links stressor perspectives to organizational behaviour literature, providing valuable insights for organizational managers. These insights suggest that promoting learning and performance-oriented goals may be especially beneficial in environments where researchers encounter significant stressors, enhancing their creative outputs in public research institutions.