Creativity & Continuance Commitment

Abstract

This entry describes a set of related scales commonly employed in Organizational Behavior research, focusing primarily on individual Creativity and the distinct dimension of Continuance Commitment. The Creativity scale, often adapted from the work of Scott and Bruce (1994), measures specific innovative behaviors exhibited by employees in the workplace. Continuance Commitment captures the extent to which an employee remains with an organization due to perceived costs associated with leaving, rather than emotional attachment. These instruments are frequently used alongside measures of Job Dissatisfaction, coworker support, and perceived organizational support to explore complex relationships, such as how dissatisfaction might paradoxically lead to constructive behaviors like creativity when organizational voice is encouraged, as demonstrated in the research by Zhou and George (2001).

Keywords

Creativity, Continuance Commitment, Job Dissatisfaction, Organizational Commitment, Innovative Behavior, Workplace Innovation, Employee Retention, Organizational Support, Coworker Feedback

Authors

Jing Zhou, Jennifer M. George, Scott C. Scott, Robert A. Bruce

Purpose

The primary purpose of these combined instruments is to assess the multidimensional factors that drive or inhibit Innovative Behavior and employee retention within an organizational context. Specifically, the Creativity scale aims to quantify the frequency and effectiveness of an individual’s innovative actions, ranging from suggesting new processes to developing implementation plans. The Continuance Commitment scale serves to differentiate between employees who stay because they want to (affective commitment) versus those who stay because they feel they must (cost-based commitment).

In the context of the 2001 study by Zhou and George, these scales were utilized to investigate the nuanced relationship between negative affective states (Job Dissatisfaction) and positive work outcomes (Creativity), moderated by organizational and social support mechanisms. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for managers seeking to foster a culture of constructive dissent and sustained innovation.

Construct

The scales presented here measure several key constructs within industrial and organizational psychology. The Creativity items typically assess **Individual Innovative Behavior**, defined as the generation, promotion, and realization of novel ideas concerning products, services, or procedures. This construct focuses on behavioral output rather than inherent creative ability.

The **Continuance Commitment** construct is one component of the dominant three-component model of organizational commitment (Allen & Meyer). It reflects an employee’s recognition of the costs associated with leaving the organization, such as accumulated benefits, lack of alternative employment options, or personal sacrifice already invested. This commitment is often viewed as calculative and instrumental. Additionally, the instruments measure **Job Dissatisfaction** (an affective reaction to the job), **Coworker Support** (social resources available to the employee), and **Perceived Organizational Support for Creativity** (the extent to which the organization values and rewards Creativity).

Validity

While specific psychometric data for the combined battery is situational, the underlying scales demonstrate robust validity in numerous organizational studies. The Creativity scale, derived from or highly similar to the scale developed by Scott and Bruce (1994), has established high criterion validity, correlating positively with supervisory ratings of innovative performance and organizational outcomes. It is generally recognized as a valid measure of individual-level work Innovation.

The Continuance Commitment scale is typically derived from the Organizational Commitment Questionnaire (OCQ) or the three-component model scales, both of which possess strong construct and discriminant validity, demonstrating that Continuance Commitment is empirically distinct from Affective and Normative Commitment. Studies utilizing these instruments (e.g., Zhou & George, 2001) confirm the factorial distinctiveness of the measured constructs through confirmatory factor analysis.

Reliability

The reliability of these scales is typically assessed using internal consistency measures, such as Cronbach’s alpha. In organizational research literature, the Creativity scale (Innovative Behavior) consistently reports high internal consistency, often yielding alpha coefficients above 0.80. This suggests that the items reliably measure a single underlying dimension of creative behavior.

Similarly, the Continuance Commitment scale is known for its high internal reliability, with reported Cronbach’s alpha values typically ranging between 0.75 and 0.85 across various samples and industries. The Job Dissatisfaction and Coworker Support scales, being standard measures in the organizational psychology domain, also generally meet acceptable reliability standards (alpha > 0.70) necessary for rigorous academic research.

Factor Analysis

Factor analysis performed on these items generally confirms the hypothesized multi-factor structure. Principal Component Analysis or Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) typically separates the items into their intended latent constructs: Creativity, Continuance Commitment, Job Dissatisfaction, Useful Feedback from Coworkers, Coworker Helping and Support, and Perceived Organizational Support for Creativity. Researchers typically employ CFA to ensure that the distinct scales maintain acceptable factor loadings and discriminant validity, confirming that each set of items measures a unique psychological concept within the organizational environment.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report Questionnaire / Multi-dimensional Organizational Assessment

Format: Typically a multi-point Likert-type scale (e.g., 5-point or 7-point scales ranging from “Strongly Disagree” to “Strongly Agree”) is used for response format, although the specific anchors are not provided in the source material.

Language Available: English (Original research language)

Population Group: Employees and managers in organizational settings

Age Group: Adult (working population)

Population Details: Applicable across various organizational types, including manufacturing, service, and professional industries.

Test Methodology: Administration is usually conducted via paper-and-pencil or online surveys, assessing attitudes and behaviors related to work environment, commitment, and Innovative Behavior.

Keywords

Organizational Behavior, Human Resources, Employee Attitudes, Innovative Behavior Scale, Organizational Commitment Scale, Job Satisfaction, Work Environment

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: N/A (Information not provided in source)

Affiliation Email addresses: N/A (Information not provided in source)

Correspondence Address: N/A (Information not provided in source)

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The items for Creativity are often based on the 1994 scale by Scott and Bruce. The combined use of these scales was prominently featured in the 2001 study by Zhou and George. As these are established academic scales, permissions for non-commercial research use are generally granted by the authors, though formal permission should always be sought. No specific fee structure is provided in the source material.

Reference’s

• Scott‚ S. C‚ & Bruce‚ R. A. 1994. Determinants of innovative behavior: A path model of individual innovation in the workplace. Academy of Management Journal‚ 37: 580-607.

• Zhou, J., & George, J. M. 2001. When job dissatisfaction leads to creativity: Encouraging the expression of voice. Academy of Management Journal, 44(4): 682-696. The original article is accessible through the journal’s official archives.

Items of the Creativity & Continuance Commitment

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

Creativity

1. Suggests new ways to achieve goals or objectives.
2. Comes up with new and practical ideas to improve performance.
3. Searches out new technologies‚ processes‚ techniques‚ and/or product ideas.
4. Suggests new ways to increase quality.
5. Is a good source of creative ideas.
6. Is not afraid to take risks.
7. Promotes and champions ideas to others.
8. Exhibits creativity on the job when given the opportunity to.
9. Develops adequate plans and schedules for the implementation of new ideas.
10. Often has new and innovative ideas.
11. Comes up with creative solutions to problems.
12. Often has a fresh approach to problems.
13. Suggests new ways of performing work tasks.

Job Dissatisfaction

1. In general‚ I like working at [company]‚ (reverse-scored)
2. In general‚ I don’t like my job.
3. All in all‚ I am satisfied with my job. (reverse-scored)

Continuance Commitment

1. Right now‚ staying with [company] is a matter of necessity as much as desire.
2. It would be very hard for me to leave [company] right now‚ even if I wanted to.
3. Too much of my life would be disrupted if I decided I wanted to leave [company] right now.
4. I feel that I have too few options to consider leaving [company].
5. I f I had not already put so much of myself into [company]‚ I might consider working elsewhere.
6. One of the few negative consequences of leaving [company] would be the scarcity of available alternatives.

Useful Feedback from Coworkers

1. I find the feedback I receive from my coworkers very useful.
2. My coworkers provide me with valuable information about how to improve my job performance.
3. The feedback I receive from my coworkers helps me improve my job performance.

Coworker Helping and Support

1. Willingly share their expertise with each other.
2. Help each other out if someone falls behind in his/her work.
3. Encourage each other when someone is down.
4. Try to act like peacemakers when there are disagreements.

Perceived Organizational Support for Creativity

• Creativity is encouraged at [company].
• Our ability to function creatively is respected by the leadership.
• The reward system here encourages innovation.
• [Company] publicly recognizes those who are innovative.