How does organizational support for creativity affect research and development (R&D) employees’ innovative behavior?

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the relationships among organizational support for creativity, employees’ creative self-efficacy, job satisfaction, and employees’ innovative behavior in the Chinese pharmaceutical manufacturing industry.Design/methodology/approach: A quota sample (n = 385) and a quantitative research methodology were employed in this study.Data from R&D staff at Chinese pharmaceutical manufacturing companies was gathered using an online survey. The study examined the validity and reliability of the measuring tools as well as the variables’ correlation analysis. Using structural equation modeling (SEM), hypotheses were investigated. The specific indirect impacts were quantified through the use of bootstrapping.Findings:The investigation indicates that organizational support is positively related to employees’ innovative behavior. Employee inventive behavior and organizational support for creativity are positively impacted by the twin mediation roles that creative self-efficacy and work satisfaction levels play. Job satisfaction was found to have a greater impact on inventive behavior among employees compared to creative self-efficacy in terms of size. Research, practical, and social implications: In addition to fostering the interdisciplinary application of psychology and organizational behavior, this study creates a dual-mediation model that bridges the gap in the mechanisms of individual cognitive and attitudinal roles between organizational support for creativity and employee innovative behavior. Furthermore, this research advances management strategies and fosters innovation in the pharmaceutical manufacturing sector.Originality/value: From the perspective of individual perceptions and attitudes, this study examined the mechanism of action between employees’ innovative behaviors and the organizational support for creativity among employees. This investigation offers a fresh viewpoint on the factors influencing employees’ innovative behaviors. The research enhances our comprehension of the correlation between employee job contentment, their belief in their creative abilities, and their capacity for innovative performance. The outcomes of the study can offer valuable perspectives for executives in the business realm.