Standing on the shoulders of others: network ties and individual creativity

Abstract

Drawing on social capital theory, this article presents a conceptual model of how individuals may utilize network ties to enhance creativity. Social capital theory has elaborated on how network ties enhance individual creativity through three mechanisms: structural, relational and cognitive. We focus on strong and weak network ties. With fewer structural constraints, weak ties allow diverse and heterogeneous knowledge to be shared. Such knowledge provides the breadth of knowledge employees may draw from to be creative. Strong ties are vested with cooperation and trust and would enhance employee’s accumulation of psychological capital that ultimately motivates and sustains creativity. We also conceptualize the moderating effects of knowledge articulability on the relationship between weak ties and creativity. This model provides propositions and directions for conceptualizing creativity using a network approach.