Intellectual stimulation and team creative climate in a professional service firm

Purpose: To investigate the precise role of intrinsic motivation and autonomy in relation to intellectual stimulation in creating a creative climate in a professional services firm. The intention is to discover whether neo-classical approaches in Nordic knowledge-work contexts that have stressed the primacy of employee monitoring and control find support, in order to assist practitioners. Design/method: We propose and test a model for the relationship of interest. Our theoretical model is tested through analysis of multilevel data gathered across in two iterations over 2 years from 177 employees and 64 teams in one company. Findings: We find that intrinsic motivation and autonomy fully mediate the relationship between intellectual stimulation and creative climate. Autonomy exercises a stronger mediating effect than intrinsic motivation. Limitations: The single company research context’s specificity; causal relationships between variables cannot be empirically investigated; the verified research model cannot claim to represent how the organization actually functions, for which qualitative work is required. Implications: Theories stressing the primacy of employee autonomy are supported over those emphasising a need for management to monitor and control autonomy-seeking employees Originality/value: We contribute by showing the primacy of perceived employee autonomy in creating a creative climate among knowledge workers