The creative performance (CP) of university teachers serves as a key driver in enhancing teaching quality and advancing academic progress. Grounded in social cognition theory (SCT), the present study developed a chain mediation model to examine the mechanism through which organizational innovation atmosphere (OIA) in higher education institutions influenced teachers' CP within the Chinese educational context, specifically testing the sequential mediating roles of learning goal orientation (LGO) and feedback-seeking behavior (FSB). Data were collected via a survey of 389 university teachers in China. Results indicated that: (1) OIA among campus, teachers' LGO, and FSB each exerted a significant positive effect on CP; (2) LGO and FSB played a complete chain-mediated role between OIA and CP, which meant OIA enhanced teachers' LGO, increased their engagement in FSB, and fostered a greater level of CP. By adopting an “environment–person–behavior” theoretical lens, the present study advances understanding of the mechanisms underlying teachers' CP. It not only provides empirical support for the application of SCT theory in higher education contexts but also yields theoretical insights and practical implications for innovation management in Chinese universities by cultivating supportive organizational climates and nurturing teachers' intrinsic motivation to promote their CP.
Pan et al. (Fri,) studied this question.