The Moderating Role of Psychological Ownership in Job Crafting, Organizational Commitment, and Innovative Behavior: A Comparison Between AI and Non-AI Departments

Abstract

Innovative behavior is essential for maintaining an organization’s competitive edge. This study aimed to investigate the impact of job crafting on innovative behavior, focusing on the mediating role of organizational commitment and the moderating effect of psychological ownership. It also explored how the moderating effect of psychological ownership varied between artificial intelligence (AI) and non-AI departments. Data were collected from 457 employees in China’s Internet industry. The results reveal that organizational commitment mediates the relationship between job crafting and innovative behavior. Furthermore, psychological ownership significantly moderates this relationship, with notable differences between AI and non-AI departments. Notably, the mediating role of organizational commitment in the connection between job crafting and innovative behavior is influenced by psychological ownership. These findings underscore the key roles of job crafting, organizational commitment, and psychological ownership in fostering innovative behavior and supporting organizational growth. They also highlight the importance of strategically managing psychological ownership across different departmental contexts to enhance organizational commitment and promote employee innovation.