STARA technology application and innovative behavior among Chinese employees: the roles of idea exploration support, STARA awareness, and leaders’ STARA symbolization

With the increasing application of smart technologies, artificial intelligence, robotics and algorithms (STARA) in workplace settings, creative work has become essential for human employees. Although STARA technology's application has the potential to enhance employees' innovative behavior, evidence also suggests that it may inhibit it. To reconcile these conflicting perspectives, this study-based on questionnaire surveys and empirical data analysis-introduces Idea exploration support, STARA awareness, and leaders' STARA symbolization to explore the mechanism through which STARA influences innovative behavior. The findings reveal a positive association between STARA technology application and employees' innovative behavior, mediated by both idea exploration support and STARA awareness, and moderated by leaders' STARA symbolization. This study proposes a novel dual-path cognitive model that integrates both support-based and threat-based psychological mechanisms, advancing current literature with a holistic perspective on how STARA influences employees' innovative behavior, while introducing leaders' STARA symbolization as a key boundary condition. These findings not only enrich theories in human resource management but also offer practical insights to improve the efficiency of human resource utilization in organizations.