Where Do Scientists' Innovations Come from? The Scientist as Social Being: Determinants of Scientists’ Innovative Work Behavior Based on the Role of Social Relationship Factors

Only a few studies focus on scientists’ innovative work behavior (IWB); thus, this study aims to explore its determinants. The study analyzed the effects of personal factors (learning motivation, professionalism, emotional intelligence, and job competence), job characteristic factors (task identity, job autonomy, feedback, and skill variety), cultural factors (hierarchical culture, group culture, development culture, and learning culture), and relationship factors (internal network, external network, leader support, and coworker support) on scientists’ IWB. To this end, we collected data by conducting a survey. The model developed in this study focuses on the direct and indirect roles of relationship factors. A total of 1,200 scientists in Korea were selected for the sample, using a proportional distribution method. Based on age and gender, stratified by research institutes (both public and private) and universities. Out of 1,172 valid samples, the responses of 849 scientists were finally analyzed. The variables included learning motivation, professionalism, job competence, task identity, skill variety, and external network were derived as determinants of scientists’ IWB. In addition, personal and job characteristics primarily influenced this behavior. Furthermore, the internal network, external network, leader support, and coworker support moderated the relationship between innovative work behavior and its antecedents. These findings imply that scientists’ IWB is enhanced not only by personal resources, better job design, and cultural capital but also by social relationship support, which facilitates or buffers personal, job, and cultural factors.