HomePsychology and Education: A Multidisciplinary Journalvol. 49 no. 9 (2025)

Predictors of Creativity and Innovation Among High-Tech Enterprises

Pijun Lu | Carmen Hernandez

Discipline: others in business and management

 

Abstract:

China's high-tech sector has become a significant driver of global innovation, thanks to strategic government support, technological advancements, and talent development. This study examines the environmental, organizational, human-capital, and technological predictors of creativity and innovation among Chinese high-tech enterprises. A descriptive–predictive research design was employed involving 400 managers and employees from 40 high-tech enterprises engaged in AI, 5G, new energy, and biomedicine. Data were gathered through a validated questionnaire that covered creativity (in terms of novelty and value) and innovation (in terms of product, service, and market). Descriptive statistics, Pearson's r, and multiple regression analyses were used to determine significant predictors. Results revealed that organizational and technological factors, particularly structural support, collaborative culture, and technology partnerships, are key enablers of creativity and innovation. Creativity levels were high across novelty and value dimensions, emphasizing practical and market-ready outcomes. Regression analyses showed that creativity dimensions were not strongly predicted by formal internal factors, whereas skills and knowledge, cutting-edge technologies, and competitive pressure significantly influenced product, service, and market innovations. Motivation, empowerment, and external partnerships were found to be negative predictors of creative value. Findings underscore the need for adaptive innovation systems that integrate people, processes, and technology, while remaining responsive to market dynamics. This study provides empirical evidence from China's high-tech sector, revealing how internal and external predictors interact to sustain creativity and innovation, thereby achieving a competitive advantage.



References:

  1. Aggarwal, A., Baker, H. K., & Joshi, N. A. (2025). Organizational innovation as business strategy: A review and Bibliometric analysis. Journal of the Knowledge Economy, 16(2), 6550–6576.
  2. Amabile, T. (2011). Componential theory of creativity (pp. 538–559). Boston, MA: Harvard Business School.
  3. Arici, T., & Gok, M. S. (2023). Examining environmental turbulence intensity: A strategic agility and innovativeness approach to firm performance in environmental turbulence situations. Sustainability, 15(6), 5364.
  4. Ayinaddis, S. G. (2024). Unpacking antecedents of knowledge management success: A key to firm performance in the banking sector. Journal of the Knowledge Economy, 15(4), 18858–18883.
  5. Chaudhuri, R., Chatterjee, S., Vrontis, P. D., & Vicentini, F. (2023). Effects of Human Capital on Entrepreneurial Ecosystems in Emerging Economies: The Mediating Role of Digital Knowledge and Innovative Capability from an Indian Perspective. Journal of Intellectual Capital, 24(1), 283-305.
  6. Chen, C. H. S., Liu, G., Roushan, G., & Nguyen, B. (2024). Exploring information technology capabilities from multiple aspects of the Resource-Based theory. Information Systems Frontiers, 1-31.
  7. Gereffi, G., Bamber, P., & Fernandez-Stark, K. (2022). China's evolving role in global value chains: upgrading strategies in an era of disruptions and resilience. In China's new development strategies: Upgrading from above and from below in global value chains (pp. 1-29). Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore.
  8. Hartley, J., Sørensen, E., & Torfing, J. (2013). Collaborative innovation: A viable alternative to market competition and organizational entrepreneurship. Public administration review, 73(6), 821-830.
  9. Isaiah, O. S., & Dickson, R. K. (2024). New venture dynamics: a creative destruction model for economic development.
  10. Kroll, H., & Frietsch, R. (2022). China's changing role in global science and innovation (No. 73). Fraunhofer ISI Discussion Papers-Innovation Systems and Policy Analysis.
  11. Li, D., Wang, H., & Wang, J. (2024). Artificial intelligence and technological innovation: evidence from China's strategic emerging industries. Sustainability, 16(16), 7226.
  12. Liu, Y., Wu, Y., & Guo, D. (2024, August). A Comparative Study of China and US's Future Industry Development Strategy and Typical Future Industry Innovation Capability. In 2024 Portland International Conference on Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET) (pp. 1-8). IEEE.
  13. Malek, R., Yang, Q., & Dhelim, S. (2024). Toward sustainable global product development performance: Exploring the criticality of organizational factors and the moderating influence of global innovation culture. Sustainability, 16(10), 3911.
  14. Nyagadza, B., Pashapa, R., Chare, A., Mazuruse, G., & Hove, P. K. (2022). Digital technologies, Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) & Global Value Chains (GVCs) nexus with emerging economies' future industrial innovation dynamics. Cogent Economics & Finance, 10(1), 2014654.
  15. Pronchakov, Y., Prokhorov, O., & Fedorovich, O. (2022). Concept of high-tech enterprise development management in the context of digital transformation. Computation, 10(7), 118.
  16. Rozentale, I., & van Baalen, P. J. (2021). Crafting business models for conflicting goals: Lessons from creative service firms. Long range planning, 54(4), 102092.
  17. Santos, E., Carvalho, M., & Martins, S. (2024). Sustainable enablers of knowledge management strategies in a higher education institution. Sustainability, 16(12), 5078.
  18. Thatrak, D. (2021). Human capital orientation, employee creativity development, organizational innovation capabilities, and outstanding performance of SMEs businesses in Thailand. International Journal of Economics and Business Administration, 9(2), 126-142.
  19. Wan, Q., Tang, S., & Jiang, Z. (2023). Does the development of digital technology contribute to the innovation performance of China's high-tech industry?. Technovation, 124, 102738.
  20. Wei, Y., Meng, Z., Liu, N., & Mao, J. (2025). Research on the impact of hard technology innovation on the high-quality development of SRDI enterprises: based on the moderating role of digital transformation. Asia Pacific Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, 19(1), 24-41.