面子之于中国人创新行为的影响早在上个世纪八十年代就已经为研究者所关注,然而碍于概念本身的抽象性和模糊性,其内在的影响机制一直未曾厘清。本文从个体和集体两个层面分别切入,剖析并检验不同层面面子对于研发人员创新意愿的影响作用。结果表明,个体层面的面子得失预期对个体的创新意愿有着截然相反的影响;集体层面的共同面子不仅会对个体的创新意愿产生直接的积极影响,而且会调节个体层面得面子预期与创新意愿之间的关系,放大得面子预期的正面效应。此外,研究结果还进一步证实了团队认同是决定个体对集体面子的关注程度的重要前因变量。
Ever since the 1980s, researchers have noticed the influence of face on Chinese people's innovative behav- iors. However, due to the abstractness and ambiguity of the face concept, the underlying mechanism of its function still re- mains in mystery. This paper attempts to analyze and examine the impact of face on R&D employees' willingness to innovate from both individual and collective levels. The findings indicate that the R&D employees' expectation of face-gaining and face- losing at the individual level will differently affect his/her innovative intention. On the other hand, common face at the collec- tive level has a direct positive influence on the R&D employee's willingness to innovate, as well as a moderating effect on the relationship between personal expectations (relating to the gain of individual face) and his/her innovative intention..Further- more, the foresaid conclusions are based on the premise that the R&D employee identifies with his/her teams. Because in the context of Chinese culture, people show concern for collective face only if they are committed to this team.