On innovation as an affect-driven work behaviour

This thesis aims to theorise and examine whether moods stimulate innovative work behaviour. The latter comprises a construct denoting the generation, promotion and realisation of novel ideas, oriented to benefiting the effectiveness and well-being of an organisation. Over time, organisational behaviour scholars have described individual and contextual factors as relevant to understanding innovative behaviour. However, one topic that still requires more detailed attention is how affect is related to innovation. Several studies have found that moods are related to idea generation, but they have neglected to explore whether similar effects apply to idea promotion and idea realisation. Also, organisational behaviour research has been limited to moods differentiated by their valence (pleasure), even though psychological research has shown that moods necessarily involve both differences in valence and activation (energy). Furthermore, most theory of innovation assumes that affect mediates individual and contextual influences on innovative behaviour, but empirical research dealing with these issues is still rare. This thesis argues that the lack of research on idea promotion and realisation, in favour of idea generation, is a response to limited support for the multidimensionality of the innovative work behaviour construct. In turn, the circumplex model of affect is adopted to define diverse moods described by valence and activation, whilst arguing influences of these moods on innovative behaviour. Moreover, from the perspective of cognitive appraisal theory, moods are argued to be a meditational function between climate of support for innovation, openness to experience and innovative work behaviour. Five empirical studies supported the validity of innovative work behaviour as a multidimensional construct. In turn, results supported a positive relationship between high-activated positive mood and dimensions of innovative behaviour. Finally, multilevel analysis showed high-activated positive mood as a core construct for transforming support for innovation and openness to experience into innovative behaviour.