Enabling or burdening? The double-edged impact of creative deviance on employee innovation performance

Purpose This study aims to investigate why creative deviance has a double-edged sword effect on innovation performance by exploring mediating mechanisms of resource integration and resource depletion, and the moderating role of personal reputation and psychological resilience. Design/methodology/approach We used a two-stage investigation to obtain data from 399 employees. Meanwhile, the relevant hypotheses were tested by the regression analysis and the bootstrap method. Findings The results show that: (1) Resource integration plays a positive mediating role in the relationship between creative deviance and employee innovation performance. (2) Ego depletion plays a negative mediating role in the relationship between creative deviance and employee innovation performance. (3) Personal reputation strengthens the mediating effect of resource integration between creative deviance and employee innovation performance. (4) Psychological resilience weakens the mediating effect of ego depletion between creative deviance and employee innovation performance. Originality/value This study reveals the inconsistent relationship between creative deviance and employee innovation performance, thus enriching the “gain-loss” model of conservation of resources theory. It helps enterprises and employees realize resource integration and performance through creative deviance.