Participative decision-making, autonomy, and creative performance: Evidence of match-up employee relations between engineers and managers

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the associations between engineers' perceptions of participative decision-making and autonomy, and their creative performance. The study utilised a paired matchup technique, with engineers and managers as respondents. Managers were responsible for assessing engineers' creative performance. Due to the study match-up design, questionnaires measuring participative decision-making, autonomy, and creative performance were distributed to the electrical and electronic manufacturing firms. SmartPLS software was used to analyse the hypothesised relationships. The results indicated that engineers' participative decision-making significantly predicted autonomy dimensions (work schedule, work criterion, and work method). Engineers' autonomy regarding work schedule, work criterion, and work method had no positive relationship with creative performance. The results showed that engineers' work schedule, work criterion, and work method negatively mediated the relationships between participative decision-making and creative performance. The findings indicated an insignificant direct effect and negative mediation of engineers' work schedule, work criterion, and work method on creative performance, pointing to the structured nature of work. This situation leaves engineers with minimal opportunity to determine the work designs, time allocations, and multicriteria of job descriptions. The study recommends potential directions for studying the improvement of engineers' creative performance in future studies.

Full text

PARTICIPATIVE DECISION-MAKING, AUTONOMY,
AND CREATIVE PERFORMANCE: EVIDENCE OF MATCH-UP
EMPLOYEE RELATIONS BETWEEN
ENGINEERS AND MANAGERS
Jeniboy Kimpaha*, Hazril Izwar Ibrahimb, Sebastiaan Rothmannaand
Amar Hisham Jaaffarc
aOptentia Research Unit, North-West University, 1174 Hendrick Van Eck Boulevard
Vanderbijlpark, 1900, South Africa
bSchool of Management, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM Penang, Malaysia
cInstitute of Energy Policy and Research, Universiti Tenaga Nasional, Jalan IKRAM-
UNITEN, 43000 Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia
(Received 31 May 2022; accepted 25 October 2023)
Abstract
This study aimed to determine the associations between engineers’ perceptions of participative
decision-making and autonomy, and their creative performance. The study utilised a paired match-
up technique, with engineers and managers as respondents. Managers were responsible for assessing
engineers’ creative performance. Due to the study match-up design, questionnaires measuring
participative decision-making, autonomy, and creative performance were distributed to the electrical
and electronic manufacturing firms. SmartPLS software was used to analyse the hypothesised
relationships. The results indicated that engineers’ participative decision-making significantly
predicted autonomy dimensions (work schedule, work criterion, and work method). Engineers’
autonomy regarding work schedule, work criterion, and work method had no positive relationship
with creative performance. The results showed that engineers’ work schedule, work criterion, and
work method negatively mediated the relationships between participative decision-making and
creative performance. The findings indicated an insignificant direct effect and negative mediation of
engineers’ work schedule, work criterion, and work method on creative performance, pointing to the
structured nature of work. This situation leaves engineers with minimal opportunity to determine the
work designs, time allocations, and multicriteria of job descriptions. The study recommends potential
directions for studying the improvement of engineers’ creative performance in future studies.
Keywords: decision-making, work method, work schedule, work criterion, creative performance,
match-up pair approach, EEI
*Corresponding author: drjeniboy@icloud.com
S e r b ia n
J o u r n a l
o f
M a n a g e m e n t
Serbian Journal of Management 18 (2) (2023) 331 - 351
www.sjm06.com
DOI: 10.5937/sjm18-38188

1. INTRODUCTION
Policymakers, businesspeople, and
consultants in government and non-
government organisations have extensively
discussed job performance from the human
resource management perspective. This
discussion has focused on job performance
in terms of in-role and extra-role
performances (Rubel et al., 2018). This study
was conducted on employee extra-role
behaviour instead of in-role performance due
to the unknown manufacturing human
resource management practices in Malaysia
regarding extra-role performance,
specifically from the perspective of
employee creativity. The main focus was on
employees’ creativity, ranging from
manufacturing operators (operational levels)
to directors of manufacturing (management
levels). To address this research gap
regarding job performance, it was crucial to
understand the effect of employees’ extra-
role behaviour in terms of employee
creativity. Employee creativity is critical in
increasing the ability of manufacturing firms
to enhance efficiency, productivity, and cost-
effectiveness. The electrical and electronic
engineering industries (EEI) are a primary
concern with regard to the economy of
Malaysia because they are vital sources of
employment. From January 2020 to June
2021 (during the COVID-19 pandemic), 112
410 potential jobs were created (MIDA,
2021).
However, the electrical and electronic
engineering industry faces limitations owing
to several circumstances such as a shortage
of high-skilled personnel in advanced
technologies, limited financial institution
credit, and research and development
competition with the United States of
America, Japan, and China (European
Commission, 2022). Therefore, these limit
the flexibility of human resource
management and agility to compete globally
(Kaveri & Prabakaran, 2013). To make
progress, Malaysian EEI manufacturing
firms must rely on internal human resource
management strategies to allow employees
to participate in decision-making and foster
autonomy regarding creativity as an outcome
of these practices. Managers are perceived as
crucial in enhancing employees’ creativity
concerning understanding employee
autonomy in determining work schedule,
work criterion, and work method. Hocine
and Zhang (2014) state that employers
inspire creativity among the workforce by
encouraging autonomy. Thus, employees’
participative decision-making and autonomy
are related to creative performance.
2. EMPLOYEE DECISION-MAKING,
AUTONOMY, AND CREATI VE
PERFORMANCE
This study examined employees’
participative decision-making, autonomy,
and creative performance. According to
Kahnweiler and Thompson (2000),
employee participative decision-making
encompasses the actual and desired levels of
engagement exhibited in ongoing work
activities. Engaging individuals in
participative decision-making fosters
autonomy, increases responsibility, and
enhances organisational productivity
(Zulfqar et al., 2022). It is critical to respect
the rights of organisational team members, as
it facilitates participation and autonomy,
safeguarding growth and learning within the
workplace (Keith, 1996; Torlak et al., 2021).
It has been shown that individuals find
greater happiness in their work due to the
332 J. Kimpah / SJM 18 (2) (2023) 331 - 351

increased level of autonomy they are granted
in decision-making and responsibility
(Karlberg-Granlund, 2019; Thien & Lee,
2023).
The job characteristics model (JCM)
defines motivation through the design of
work as “which individuals will become
internally motivated to perform effectively
on their jobs” (Hackman & Oldham, 1976, p.
250). Expanding on the JCM, Breaugh
(1985) identifies three subcategories within
work autonomy: work schedule, work
criterion, and work method. These
subdimensions empower employees at work.
Work method refers to an individual’s ability
to select the method employed for job
completion. Work schedule involves
managing the sequencing of tasks. Work
criterion is the specific standards,
qualifications, or requirements used to assess
or evaluate work resources, including
employees, projects, tasks, and deliverables.
The first objective of this study was to
examine the relationship between
participative decision-making and the three
subdimensions of autonomy: work method
autonomy, work schedule autonomy, and
work criterion autonomy.
Employee autonomy concerning work
schedule, work criterion, and work method
enhances extra-role job performance
(Takaishi et al., 2019). Permata and
Mangundjaya (2021) found that creativity
and performance were perceived to improve
after employers allowed a certain degree of
autonomy regarding work schedule, work
criterion, and work method. Creative
performance refers to employee initiatives at
work not listed or specified. According to
George and Zhou (2001), employees’
creative performance is an initiative without
a particular standard set by the organisation.
The second study objective was to examine
the relationships between the three
subdimensions of autonomy and creative
performance.
Creative performance is the ability to
generate novel ideas beneficial in solving
problems regarding work assignments,
introducing relevant knowledge that did not
exist before, and highlighting an efficient
and orderly approach to tasks (Rese et al.,
2020). Hence, creative performance
describes generating novel ideas, product
problem-solving, processes, and procedures.
The EEI manufacturing firms were
considered relevant in terms of creative
performance owing to the nature of these
companies of being constantly changing with
the development of cutting-edge technology.
Managers and engineers play a role in
producing effective organisational structures
to enhance creativity. Human resource
management must be efficient and
continuous to increase creativity in
organisations.
Self-efficacy theory explains that all
employees have the autonomy to inspire
themselves to be creative (Xie et al., 2020).
Consequently, engineers’ autonomy
regarding work schedule, work criterion, and
work method is essential. Past studies have
indicated that engineers who gain autonomy
in work schedule, work criterion, and work
method about jobs exhibit creative behaviour
that enhances the creative performance of
organisations (George & Zhou, 2001;
Takaishi et al., 2019).
2.1. Relationship between participative
decision-making and autonomy
According to Shahzad (2022), increasing
job autonomy allows for greater freedom in
decision-making, work scheduling, and work
execution. As job autonomy levels rise,
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J. Kimpah / SJM 18 (2) (2023) 331 - 351

managers encounter additional challenges in
decision-making, work procedure, and
maintaining work schedule, necessitating the
utilisation of more psychological resources.
Brun and Cooper (2009) revealed that
participative decision-making increased
employees’ sense of autonomy because it
enabled employees to be informed and
consulted and to participate in defining work
tasks. Given this understanding, participative
decision-making might explain employees’
lack of interest in increasing the power or
control of other employees. However,
employees were keen on participating in
decision-making and having a sense of
autonomy.
Autonomy is defined as employees’
discretion over when, where, and how they
do their job (Charoensukmongkol &
Phungsoonthorn, 2021; Zhou, 2020).
Employee autonomy is the level of control
over employees’ choices in work such as
method, timing, and criterion
(Charoensukmongkol & Phungsoonthorn,
2021; Zhou, 2020). Breaugh (1985)
conceptualises autonomy in terms of work
schedule, work criterion, and work method.
It is to imbue employees with the sense of
being in control of work tasks. Work
schedule refers to employees’ opportunity to
allocate working time to a job (Breaugh,
1985). Work criterion can be defined as the
ability of employees to have a sense of
control over the criteria such as employees
having multiple choices to modify their
approach to evaluating performance
(Breaugh, 1985). Work method can be called
employees’ decisions regarding work
procedures that should be followed to
complete tasks (Breaugh, 1985).
Several studies (see Chandra (2011),
Scott‐Ladd and Marshall (2004), and
Seymour and Peterman (2018)) have been
conducted to investigate the association
between participative decision-making and
autonomy. These studies have indicated that
employees can be proactive in conforming to
work roles and responsibilities. Seymour and
Peterman (2018) revealed the significant link
between individual participative decision-
making and autonomy. Participating in
decision-making encourages employees to
be determined in work tasks. Chandra (2011)
found that employee participation
opportunities in decision-making were
positively related to workplace autonomy.
Scott‐Ladd and Marshall (2004) discovered
that high levels of employee participative
decision-making increased workplace
autonomy. Thus, the following hypotheses
were proposed:
Hypothesis 1a: Participative decision-
making is positively related to engineers’
work method.
Hypothesis 1b: Participative decision-
making is positively related to engineers’
work schedule.
Hypothesis 1c: Participative decision-
making is positively related to engineers’
work criterion.
2.2. Relationship between autonomy
and creative performance
This study adopted the EEI
manufacturing firms as employers
responsible for fostering a creative work
environment. To give employees
opportunities to be involved in creativity,
employers should provide employees with
the autonomy to make decisions in
determining the work schedule, work
criterion, and work method in the workplace.
However, autonomy reluctance on the part of
employers can hinder the implementation of
a creative workplace (Berg et al., 2017; Xie
334 J. Kimpah / SJM 18 (2) (2023) 331 - 351

et al., 2020). To encourage creativity,
employers assign intermediate managers to
supervise subordinates. Managers’ support
and encouragement can empower
subordinates to gain autonomy, leading to
better job performance. Research has
suggested that managers can assist
employees at work in promoting autonomy,
freedom, or flexibility at work (Putnam et al.,
2014) through employee selection of work
schedule, work criterion, and work method
(Takaishi et al., 2019).
The measurement of employees’
perceived workplace autonomy in the study
conducted by Pattnaik and Sahoo (2021)
utilised a scale consisting of three
dimensions: work method autonomy, work
scheduling autonomy, and work criterion
autonomy. The study advocated that
perceived workplace autonomy had a
significant influence on creativity. The
findings suggested that workplace autonomy
fostered a thriving climate that promoted
freedom of thought and decision-making,
ultimately enhancing employee creativity.
Sia and Appu (2015) indicate that the
degree of autonomy is positively related to
creative performance. The degree of
autonomy, freedom, or flexibility of
employees enables strategies at work and the
ability to implement other alternative ideas.
De Spiegelaere et al. (2016) point out that
employees need autonomy to use alternative
work method.
Hypothesis 2a: Work method is positively
related to engineers’ creative performance.
Genty et al. (2021) recommend
maintaining a flexible work schedule to
enable employees to perform their tasks
conveniently, ultimately leading to increased
effectiveness in performance. De
Spiegelaere et al. (2014) explain that
employees have a sense of control through
freedom or flexible schedules, enabling them
to adjust work to different demands.
Moreover, the study by De Spiegelaere et al.
(2016) showed that work schedule and
creative performance had a positive
relationship. Brem and Utikal (2019) support
the idea that work schedule has a positive
impact on individual creativity and routine
performance.
Hypothesis 2b: Work schedule is
positively related to engineers’ creative
performance.
Research regarding the relationship
between work criterion and creative
performance is scarce. The study has
significantly contributed to enrich
understanding of the relationship between
work criterion and creative performance. Sia
and Appu (2015) explain that work criterion
positively correlates with creativity. They
found that employees could customise work
criterion for enhancing creativity regarding
employees’ understanding of shortcomings
and weaknesses related to performance.
Khan (2022) states that performance is
related to assessment by possible outcomes
concerning work standards, target goals, and
work criterion of a particular task in
comparison to the actual outcomes achieved
by an employee. These possible outcomes
are predetermined and provided to
employees as an agreement regarding a
particular job.
Hypothesis 2c: Work criterion is
positively related to engineers’ creative
performance.
2.3. The mediating role of autonomy
Employee autonomy has been studied
since the 1980s and gained popularity from
1985 onwards (Breaugh, 1985). It is crucial
to note the potential mediating role of
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J. Kimpah / SJM 18 (2) (2023) 331 - 351

autonomy in the relationship between
participative decision-making and in-role
performance. Existing research has
highlighted the potential effects of
participative decision-making on creative
performance, with autonomy often being
considered a potential mediating variable in
this relationship. For example, Khan (2023)
examined the mediating role of job
autonomy in the relationship between
transformational leadership, decision-
making, and teacher work performance. The
findings indicated the significant mediating
role of job autonomy, supporting its
influence on transformational leadership and
teacher work performance.
Brun and Cooper (2009), Chandra (2011),
and Scott‐Ladd and Marshall (2004) found
that participative decision-making had a
significant positive relationship with
autonomy, particularly work schedule, work
criterion, and work method. They concluded
that if employees participated in decision-
making to enhance job performance, then
they experienced a feeling of being
empowered through autonomy. The benefit
of participative decision-making, autonomy,
and job performance was that employees
could use these as a form of self-
determination.
Breaugh (1985), Brem and Utikal (2019),
De Spiegelaere et al (2016), and Sia and
Appu (2015) claim that creative performance
can be enhanced through employees’ sense
of autonomy by being less restricted in terms
of rules or regulations in the workplace.
Employees easily create novel ideas and
complete work tasks through the autonomy
they receive from team members.
Furthermore, employers have to consider the
level of employees’ participation, flexibility,
and freedom from different perspectives to
exert effort in having a creative impact while
completing work tasks.
Therefore, employees’ autonomy allows
them to participate in decision-making,
having an impact on creativity and
enhancing job performance. This study used
the preceding discussion to examine the
relationship between participatory decision-
making and creative performance, with
autonomy as the mediator. Consistent with
the previous literature, the following
hypotheses are presented.
Hypothesis 3a: Work method mediates the
association between participative decision-
making and engineers’ creative performance.
Hypothesis 3b: Work schedule mediates
the association between participative
decision-making and engineers’ creative
performance.
Hypothesis 3c: Work criterion mediates
the association between participative
decision-making and engineers’ creative
performance.
3. METHODS
3.1. Research design
The study implemented a dyadic design,
colloquially known as a match-up pair
design. This matching approach involved
creating a pair from each participant for an
in-depth comparison. The matching
techniques used to construct the sample for
regression analysis involved employing
regression specifications with matched pair
fixed effects. This approach aimed to balance
the treatment and control groups better (Bena
et al., 2022). Engineers and managers were
systematically paired in this specific study
context to allow for a nuanced inter-role
analysis. This design facilitated an
introspective assessment of the managers
336 J. Kimpah / SJM 18 (2) (2023) 331 - 351

concerning their perception of the engineers’
creative performance within their purview.
Simultaneously, engineers were allowed to
assess the degree of participative decision-
making and the level of autonomy regarding
experience in a professional environment.
The efficacy of this dyadic design, in terms
of its superior reliability, was contrasted with
more traditional single-subject analysis
methods. This design succeeded in bolstering
the validity of the study outcomes and the
credibility of its resultant conclusions.
3.2. Population and sampling
The population for this study consisted of
all employees working in the electrical and
electronic (E&E) firms. According to the
Department of Statistics Malaysia (2016),
the total number of employees in these firms
is 508 542. These employees are employed
across 274 E&E manufacturing firms in
Malaysia, as reported by the Federation of
Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) in 2016.
The FMM report of 2016 contains a
comprehensive list of employees and firms,
categorised based on the products
manufactured. The categorisation includes
five product groups: (1) office, accounting
and computing, and machinery; (2) domestic
equipment; (3) radio, television, and
communication equipment; (4) electrical
machinery and apparatus; and (5) medical,
precision, and optical instruments such as
watches and clocks.
This study was conducted using non-
probability sampling to gain the most
accessible information from the target
participants. Moreover, the study utilised a
judgement sampling technique, choosing
managers and engineers according to pairing
suitability. Kenny and Winquist (2001)
recommend that paired analysis between
employees and superiors can be the
appropriate approach for extracting and
investigating precise information.
Participants included managers and
engineers with direct one-to-one
relationships at work. A manager of a
particular department was identified and
matched with an engineer. Human Resources
(HR) department assistance was obtained for
identifying the manager-engineer pairings to
ensure that the data collected would be
reliable and valid for the study.
To estimate the minimum sample size,
select the sample size, and conduct power
analysis (Faul et al., 2007), this study utilised
G*Power. G*Power requires the power level
(1-β), the prespecified significance level α,
and the population to be decided with
probability (1-β) in order to determine the
sample size with regard to a medium effect
of 0.15, α error probability of 0.05, and
minimum power of 0.80. The result showed
that a minimum sample size of 98
respondents was required for this study,
which was deemed sufficient. However, this
study was efficacious in collecting 173
match-up paired responses (i.e., 173
managers and 173 engineers).
The sample involved in this study was,
thus, 173 match-up pairs of managers and
engineers, employed in 73 electrical and
electronic international and local
manufacturing firms in Malaysia.
Individuals who worked for these
manufacturing firms were selected as
participants. Managers and engineers had to
have been working together for at least one
year. The role of the managers was to
respond with regard to the engineers’
creative performance, while the engineers
had a self-assessment regarding participative
decision-making, autonomy, and creative
performance.
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J. Kimpah / SJM 18 (2) (2023) 331 - 351

3.3. Instrument and data collection
procedure
This study utilised two questionnaires,
denoted as Sets A and B, to assess different
constructs. Set A was designed for managers
to evaluate creative performance and
incorporated a 13-item instrument adapted
from Zhou and George (2001). Each item in
the questionnaire was measured using a five-
point Likert scale, ranging from 1 (is not at
all characteristic) to 5 (is very characteristic).
Set B focused on evaluating engineers’
participative decision-making and autonomy.
The participatory decision-making
instrument used in Set B comprised five
items and was developed by Lam et al.
(2002). Participants were asked to rate their
agreement level on a scale ranging from 1
(strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree).
Regarding autonomy, the scale used in Set B
was work and encompassed three constructs:
work method, work schedule, and work
criterion, based on Breaugh (1985). The
scale consisted of nine items, each rated on a
seven-point Likert scale, ranging from 1
(strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree).
The data collection procedure of this
study involved using a self-administered
questionnaire method. This method
supported understanding the conceptual
framework of the study and reduced social
desirability bias when collecting sensitive
data. The data was collected from managers
and engineers in E&E manufacturing firms
through the “walk-in, drop-off, and collect”
approach and Pos Laju services. HR
managers were contacted to secure their co-
operation in identifying relevant participants,
and a cover letter was sent to explain the
study purpose and obtain permission from
the HR department of each firm. Out of the
274 firms contacted, 73 agreed to participate.
The questionnaires were distributed, and
gentle reminders were sent to increase the
response rate. Pos Laju services were used
for firms in Sabah and Sarawak.
To ensure accuracy and efficiency, the
data collection procedure included the
distribution of paired questionnaires based
on matching colours for managers and their
corresponding engineers. In cases where
more than one matched pair wished to
participate, additional same-pair-coloured
questionnaires were provided. The
responsibility for collecting responses from
managers and engineers lay with the HR
managers themselves. This structured and
well-defined procedure facilitated the
systematic collection of data from the
targeted population, enabling comprehensive
and reliable information to be obtained for
analysis.
3.4. Evaluation of reflective
measurement model
The internal consistency reliability and
validity of the measures were assessed using
factor loading, average variance extracted
(AVE), and composite reliability (CR).
According to Hair et al. (2011), factor
loadings above 0.708 are considered
acceptable. The AVE values, recommended
to be above 0.500, demonstrated adequate
convergent validity (Hair et al., 2012). The
CR values exceeding 0.700 indicated
satisfactory internal consistency reliability
(Hair et al., 2016). No items were deleted
from the analysis. Refer to Table 1 for a
comprehensive overview of the statistical
results.
To assess the discriminant validity (DV),
the heterotrait-monotrait ratio of correlations
(HTMT) was employed in this study,
following the methodology proposed by
338 J. Kimpah / SJM 18 (2) (2023) 331 - 351

Henseler et al. (2015). Specifically, the
HTMT was used to measure the degree of
uncorrelation between constructs. The study
applied HTMT.85, HTMT.90, and HTMT
inference criteria to evaluate the discriminant
validity. The results indicated that the square
root of the average variance extracted (AVE)
for each construct did not exceed 0.85, 0.90,
or 1. Among the constructs, this study had
the highest square root value of 0.81, which
satisfied the threshold value recommended
(Franke & Sarstedt, 2019). Refer to Table 2
for a comprehensive overview of the
statistical results.
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J. Kimpah / SJM 18 (2) (2023) 331 - 351
Table 2. Heterotrait-monotrait ratio of correlations (HTMT)
Table 1. Result of the measurement model

3.5. Evaluation of structural model
SmartPLS is variance-based software
selected to conduct structural equation
modelling (SEM) in this study because of the
unique features of the study. SEM is widely
recognised and used in behavioural and
social sciences for analysing latent or
unobservable constructs (Sharma & Kim,
2013). This method provides a complete
model fit assessment and simplifies the
examination of individual parameter
estimates. SEM is particularly efficient for
testing hypotheses and investigating
relationships among multiple dependent
variables (Byrne, 2002). Due to its flexibility
and suitability for reflective model data
analyses, SmartPLS was utilised for the
visual study of relationships among the
following variables: participative decision-
making, autonomy, and creative
performance. The widespread use of this
software spans many study fields, including
human resource management.
4. FINDINGS
The study employed SmartPLS and
conducted bootstrapping analysis with a
substantial sample size of 5 000 to
comprehensively investigate the conceptual
model within the EEI manufacturing firms.
The direct effect test results, presented in
Table 3, provided robust support for
Hypotheses 1a, 1b, and 1c. Participative
decision-making demonstrated a significant
positive effect on the specific organisational
aspects of work method (β = 0.765, p <
0.01), work schedule (β = 0.603, p < 0.01),
and work criterion (β = 0.664, p < 0.01).
These findings highlighted the impactful role
of involving employees in decision-making
processes in improvements across these
dimensions within the EEI manufacturing
firms. Participative decision-making
enhanced work method, promoting greater
efficiency, innovation, and effectiveness in
task execution. Additionally, it contributed to
establishing fair and meaningful
performance criteria, instilling a sense of
equity, transparency, and alignment with
organisational goals. These significant
outcomes underlined the importance of
implementing participative decision-making
practices in the EEI manufacturing firms to
facilitate positive changes in work method,
work schedule, and work criterion.
In terms of the direct effect relationship
between employee autonomy constructs and
creative performance, we investigated the
constructs of work method (β = 0.137, p >
0.10), work schedule (β = 0.031, p > 0.10),
and work criterion (β = 0.101, p > 0.10).
Contrary to the initial hypotheses (H2a, H2b,
and H2c) positing a positive association
between employee autonomy and creative
performance, the results indicated a lack of
340 J. Kimpah / SJM 18 (2) (2023) 331 - 351
Table 3. Direct effect test

support for these hypotheses. Statistical
analysis revealed that none of the examined
constructs exhibited a significant impact on
creative performance, as indicated by p-
values exceeding the threshold of 0.10.
Consequently, the findings suggested that
increasing employee autonomy regarding
work method, work schedule, or work
criterion did not lead to improved creative
performance. Refer to Table 3 for a
comprehensive overview of the statistical
results.
This study investigated the potential
mediating effects of work method, work
schedule, and work criterion on the
relationship between participative decision-
making and creative performance within the
context of EEI manufacturing firms.
Regression analysis was employed to
examine the associations, with β coefficients
and p-values serving as indicators of the
magnitude and significance of the effects,
respectively. The results revealed that none
of the examined mediators, namely, work
method (β = 0.104, p > 0.10), work schedule
(β = 0.019, p > 0.10), and work criterion (β =
0.067, p > 0.10), exhibited significant
mediating effects on the relationship
between participative decision-making and
creative performance. Refer to Table 4 for a
comprehensive overview of the statistical
results.
5. DISCUSSION
This study was designed to provide new
insights into engineers’ participative
decision-making and autonomy in relation to
the work schedule, work criterion, and work
method. The findings revealed a positive
relationship between participative decision-
making and active engagement in
discussions about work schedule, adherence
to work criterion, and utilisation of work
method. Thus, hypotheses 1a, 1b, and 1c
were supported, demonstrating engineers'
optimism and willingness to actively
participate in discussions pertaining to work
schedule, work criterion, and work method.
The findings of this study are supported by
those of Seymour and Peterman (2018),
Chandra (2011), and Scott‐Ladd and
Marshall (2004).
Despite low thoughtlessness levels, the
study failed to find any significant
relationship between engineers' autonomy
and creative performance, leading to the
rejection of hypotheses 2a, 2b, and 2c. There
can be several reasons for this unexpected
result, including the complexity of
engineering tasks (Shi et al., 2020) and the
EEI manufacturing firms encountered
varying levels of operational complexity of
tasks encountered within real-world
organizational settings, in addition to varying
levels of operation among engineers. These
341
J. Kimpah / SJM 18 (2) (2023) 331 - 351
Table 4. Indirect effect test

tasks exhibited work schedule, criterion, and
method differences. The limited involvement
of managers in determining work schedule,
work criterion, and work method reflected a
decentralised decision-making approach that
acknowledged engineers’ specialised
expertise. Moreover, managers tended to
evaluate creative performance in a
qualitative manner rather than using previous
evaluation metrics (Brem & Utikal, 2019),
emphasising the subjective nature of
assessing engineering work. These findings
highlighted that autonomy alone did not
prove to be the sole driver of creative
performance; they also highlighted the need
for further investigation of factors such as
collaboration, resource accessibility, and
organisational culture to achieve a more
comprehensive understanding of creativity in
engineering settings.
Moreover, engineers exhibited a tendency
to resist autonomy in efforts to enhance
creative performance, attributable to
prevailing management policies within the
EEI manufacturing firms, particularly
concerning work schedule, work criterion,
and work method. These policies were
established primarily through top
management directives, entailing strict
monitoring measures and inflexible
guidelines for employee (Fallman et al.,
2019; He et al., 2022; Maqsoom et al., 2021)
s. Furthermore, engineers often felt
constrained due to predetermined job
descriptions and rigid structures, originating
from top management and managed
managers. This situation provided
compelling evidence of a lack of effective
empowerment granted to engineers in
decision-making processes regarding work
schedule, work criterion, and work method.
Consequently, engineers’ creative
performance might be hindered within a
highly structured work environment.
Additionally, it could be due to a lack of trust
in employees’ abilities to exercise autonomy,
apprehension towards potential risks or
failures associated with autonomy, and a
preference for maintaining hierarchical
control over decision-making processes.
Hence, it is of the utmost importance to
further investigate the intricate dynamics
surrounding the impact of work schedule,
work criterion, and work method on creative
performance. Such study endeavours hold
promise in yielding valuable insights to
inform the development of strategies aimed
at fostering greater autonomy within these
domains.
The insignificant mediating effect
between participative decision-making and
creative performance through autonomy of
work method, work schedule, and work
criterion, resulting in the rejection of
Hypotheses 3a, 3b, and 3c within the EEI
manufacturing firms, was attributed to
several engineering-specific factors. These
included the constraints of limited technical
and financial resources (Usman &
Vanhaverbeke, 2017). Limited necessary
technical resources or support hinder
autonomy, undermining the expected
positive impact. Autonomy often requires
access to appropriate technical resources,
tools, or support systems. It could be that
employees in the study lacked access to the
necessary resources or faced technical
constraints that limited autonomy, which
could have hindered the expected positive
relationship between participative decision-
making, autonomy, and creative performance.
In engineering environments, hierarchical
structures towards openness are common. An
organisation with a strict hierarchical
structure is not conducive to self-organising
agile teams because the hierarchy enforces a
342 J. Kimpah / SJM 18 (2) (2023) 331 - 351

lack of openness (Šmite et al., 2020). In the
case of EEI manufacturing firms with a
strong hierarchical culture that discourages
or hinders autonomy in work method, work
schedule, or work criterion, the potential
positive effects of participative decision-
making on creative performance could be
overshadowed.
Additionally, there may be skill or
knowledge gaps among employees,
particularly in balancing technical expertise
to run an engineering firm (Wijesinghe et al.,
2020) and innovative thinking to engage in a
kind of creative performance (Taylor et al.,
2020). Creative engineering performance
hinges on combining technical expertise and
innovative thinking. Without the necessary
skills or knowledge to effectively utilise the
autonomy granted through participative
decision-making, the relationship between
these variables and creative performance
may weaken. To bolster this mediating
effect, it is essential to implement training
and development programmes that address
skill gaps, enhance employee capabilities,
and empower employees to use autonomy
more effectively.
The complexity and interdependencies of
engineering tasks limit the direct influence of
individual autonomy on creative
performance. Engineering projects can be
highly complex, requiring co-ordination and
collaboration among various team members.
The interdependencies among tasks and the
need for co-ordination may limit the extent
to which individual autonomy in work
method, work schedule, or work criterion
can directly influence creative performance.
In such cases, the relationship between
participative decision-making, autonomy,
and creative performance may be influenced
with regard to other factors related to team
dynamics and co-ordination.
6. THEORETICAL IMPLICATIONS
The results of this study suggested
valuable theoretical insights into
organisational behaviour, specifically
focusing on the perspective of engineers,
managers, and organisations. The study
investigated the relationship between
participative decision-making, autonomy,
and creative performance in engineering-
oriented environments. It expanded
understanding by highlighting the positive
impact of participative decision-making on
engineers’ active involvement in the work
schedule, adherence to the work criterion,
and utilisation of the work method.
Interestingly, these findings challenge
established theories that propose a strong
regression between autonomy (work
schedule, work criterion, and work method)
and creative performance. The study
revealed that thoughtlessness levels were
low, and the expected significant relationship
was not supported. This unexpected outcome
suggested the need for further investigation,
particularly in the context of work schedule
autonomy. According to Brem and Utikal
(2019) laboratory study with 233
participants, the results indicated that
schedule autonomy did not have a
statistically significant impact on average
routine performance. However, the influence
of schedule autonomy on creative
performance was found to be dependent on
the individual’s level of impulsiveness.
Furthermore, the study observed a lack of
significant mediation by autonomy on the
relationship between participative decision-
making and creative performance. This
highlighted the presence of engineering-
specific barriers, including technical
constraints, hierarchical cultures, and
knowledge or skill deficiencies.
343
J. Kimpah / SJM 18 (2) (2023) 331 - 351

Consequently, developing comprehensive
theories that consider these specific
constraints and offer potential solutions has
become necessary. The study discussion
highlighted the importance of additional
factors such as collaboration and resource
accessibility in influencing creative
performance.
7. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS
The EEI manufacturing firms
endeavoured to optimise creative
performance within engineering teams. The
findings highlighted the potential benefits of
endorsing participative decision-making.
This approach seemed to have sparked
engineers’ active engagement and
heightened autonomy. Hence, the EEI
manufacturing firms were encouraged to
establish initiatives fostering participative
decision-making. The initiatives included
respectful dialogue and transparent
communication. The initiatives were
voluntarily undertaken to follow the meeting
rules strictly and called for a respectful
dialogue among participants and a
comprehensive exploration of all viewpoints
before finalising a decision (Goethel et al.,
2019). Furthermore, in an uncertain
environment, human resource managers
should be able to employ frequent and
transparent communication, ensure quick
decision-making, and have autonomy
(Tasavori et al., 2021).
The results proposed that granting
autonomy was not universally effective for
boosting creative performance. Managers
were advised to recognise task complexities
and calibrate the degree of autonomy given
to engineers. Considerations included
individual competencies, task specifics, and
practical limitations. Training and
development programmes had proven
crucial. The EEI manufacturing firms had
provided engineers with the necessary skills
to effectively utilise autonomy and foster
innovative thinking.
The study outcomes highlighted the
importance of empowering engineers within
decision-making processes. These processes
are related to work schedule, work criterion,
and work method. The EEI manufacturing
firms are urged to support equilibrium by
striking a balance between imposing
directives and providing engineers with the
freedom to exercise their discretion.
According to Fischer and Barabasch
(2021), the appearance of creative
performance causes the evolution of new
work patterns, which tend to exhibit
significant individualization and complexity.
New work patterns lead to structural changes
within the workplace in organisations such
as decreased hierarchical structures, new
management perspectives, and team-based
organisational structures. The study
recommends a strategic reassessment of
deep-seated hierarchical structures, new
management perspectives, and team-based
organisational structures. This
recommendation is underpinned by the
understanding that exiting structures may
have inhibited the realisation of autonomy.
8. LIMITATIONS
This study focused on engineers’
participative decision-making, autonomy,
and creative performance. However, it failed
to consider other issues such as the capability
approach that strongly highlights engineers’
participative decision-making, autonomy,
and creative performance. Since the start of
344 J. Kimpah / SJM 18 (2) (2023) 331 - 351

the 21st century, economic development has
established the capability approach as a
concern for humans, including the engineers
in this study. In focusing on the engineer
capability approach through self-
determination in the workplace, workplace
precarity and precariousness have been
improving gradually. Nussbaum (1997)
asserts that self-determination enables
individuals to decide to work on specific
tasks. The capability approach allows people
daily questions to specify “What am I able to
do and be?” (Nussbaum, 2011, page 29).
Capabilities can be defined as a person’s
freedom, autonomy, or opportunities to
maximise functions (Nussbaum, 1997).
This study recognises the limitations of
the methodology used to develop the
instrument by Lam et al. (2002), George and
Zhou (2001), and Breaugh (1985). These
limitations highlight the ongoing need to
address the gaps in previous studies
pertaining to participative decision-making,
autonomy, and creative performance within
the EEI manufacturing firm context. To fill
these gaps and enhance scholarly
understanding, further investigation was
conducted. Considering the limited prior
studies and building on them, this study
endeavoured to contribute valuable
understandings and advance the existing
knowledge in this domain, thereby enriching
the academic discourse surrounding
participative decision-making, autonomy,
and creative performance in the EEI
manufacturing firms.
9. RECOMMENDATION AND
FURTHER STUDY
To better understand engineers' working
methods, schedules, criteria, and creative
performance, the capability approach and
self-determination were recommended.
Future researchers need to explicitly include
the capability approach and self-
determination in their theoretical research
frameworks. The study briefly mentioned the
potential contribution of the capability
approach and self-determination to
addressing workplace precariousness. To
further investigate these issues, future
studies can delve deeper into the subject
matter regarding mitigating factors for
precarious employment conditions.
The study identified limitations in the
methodology used to develop the instrument,
it was referencing relevant studies conducted
by Lam et al. (2002), George and Zhou
(2001), and Breaugh (1985). The instrument
should be revised by enhancing the scale
with further items in future research to
overcome limitations. In this way, engineers'
participative decision-making, autonomy,
and creative performance will be further
measured.
Future studies be able to include
qualitative methods such as interviews or
focus group discussions to better understand
engineers' perceptions and experiences
regarding participative decision-making,
work method, work schedule, and work
criteria. An in-depth analysis of the factors
that influence engineers' capabilities and
performance in the engineering industry can
be achieved using qualitative methods.
Taking these recommendations into
account for future studies, the study
highlighted the importance of integrating the
capability approach and self-determination
as a theoretical framework, the importance
of developing methodology instruments, and
the need to propose qualitative methods. In
the future, researchers will gain a deeper
understanding of engineers' participative
345
J. Kimpah / SJM 18 (2) (2023) 331 - 351

decision-making, work method, work
criteria, work schedule, and creative
performance. This will provide a valuable
resource for practitioners, policymakers, and
researchers alike.
10. CONCLUSION
The study examined participative
decision-making, autonomy, and creative
performance in the EEI manufacturing firms.
The results indicated that engineers
participating in decisions had positive
relationships with work schedule, work
criterion, and work method. However, the
study found that engineers' work schedule,
work criterion, and work method had limited
influence on creative performance due to
task complexity. To enhance creative
performance, manufacturing firms can
encourage participative decision-making by
considering individual task complexity,
competency, and practical limitations.
Fostering innovative thinking, training, and
development programs aligned with
collaboration, resource availability, and
supportive organizational cultures were
significant factors in innovation. Future
studies should address methodological
limitations by integrating a capability-based
approach as a theoretical framework and
utilizing qualitative methods. This will
provide valuable insights for practitioners,
policymakers, and researchers exploring
engineering into the complex dynamics
between engineers' decision-making,
autonomy, and creative performance.
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Извод
Ова студија је имала за циљ да утврди повезаност између перцепције инжењера о
партиципативном доношењу одлука и аутономије и њиховог креативног учинка. Студија је
користила технику упаривања, са инжењерима и менаџерима као испитаницима. Менаџери су
били одговорни за процену креативног учинка инжењера. Због дизајна подударања студије,
упитници који су мерили партиципативно доношење одлука, аутономију и креативни учинак
су дистрибуирани фирмама за производњу електричне и електронске опреме. За анализу
претпостављених односа коришћен је софтвер SmartPLS. Резултати су показали да
партиципативно доношење одлука инжењера значајно предвиђа димензије аутономије
(распоред рада, критеријум рада и начин рада). Аутономија инжењера у погледу распореда
рада, критеријума рада и метода рада није имала позитивну везу са креативним учинком.
Резултати су показали да распоред рада инжењера, критеријум рада и начин рада негативно
утичу на односе између партиципативног одлучивања и креативног учинка. Налази су
указивали на незнатан директан утицај и негативно посредовање радног распореда инжењера,
критеријума рада и начина рада на креативни учинак, указујући на структурисану природу
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