Confirmatory Model of the Workplace Creativity in Higher Education

This study has identified the key factors of workplace creativity in the higher educational institution. Previous studies have provided evidence of the positive correlation between the performance level of students and employees. Similarly, past studies have also explained the close association between favorable cultural conditions and workforce performance. One of such cultural conditions is the culture of creativity and innovation. Many institutions are unable to perform due to lack of motivation among employees to exercise creativity in their work, which is the indication of weak cultural manifestation that provides support for creativity and innovation. Current study has identified twelve key visible practices among employees in the higher educational institutions from the past literature. These indicators were employed to factor-out four latent constructs: presence of challenge in job, motivation to take up the challenging tasks, freedom and flexibility in doing job, and availability of enough resources to experiment. Data was collected from 191 employees in eight institutions of higher education in UAE by using creativity scale questionnaire. Exploratory factor analysis was initially employed to verify the structure of the proposed path model, and then relationships between indicators and underlying contracts were tested in the confirmatory factor analysis. Findings show that leadership role is an important element for the development of creative practices among employees, which provokes innovative approach in performing jobs. Employees are motivated in facing the challenges and finding the creative solutions. The study provides valuable information to the leaders in higher educational institutions and policymakers about the importance of the cultural factors which could be used as a criterion identifying presence or absence of workplace creativity and innovation.