Abstract
Although it is widely assumed that information and communication technology (ICT) demands are detrimental, ICT use-related demands may have hidden benefits for creativity. In this research, we draw from the job demands-resources (JD-R) theory to examine when and how employees react to ICT demands in distinct ways. These distinct ways, in turn, will differentially predict employee creativity. Findings from a three-wave, multisource field study conducted with 368 employees nested within research and development teams at 38 high-technology firms in Southern China suggest that job autonomy functions as a key qualifier for the effects of ICT demands. Specifically, when faced with ICT demands, employees with low job autonomy are more likely to experience burnout that is negatively related to employees’ creativity, whereas employees with high job autonomy are more likely to engage in learning that is positively related to employees’ creativity. By identifying job autonomy as a boundary condition that can transform ICT demands from a liability into a catalyst for creativity, our work is an important extension of research on the effects of ICT demands.