Creativity and propitiousness in strategic decision making: The role of positive politics and macro-economic uncertainty

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the association between positive perceptions of politics (i.e. positive politics) and decision creativity and propitiousness (i.e. reaching unforeseen advantages while limiting unexpected problems). In addition, drawing from threat-rigidity effect theory the authors argue that such relationships will be resilient to external environmental threats and specifically macro-economic uncertainty. Design/methodology/approach: The database for the analyses consisted of 200 strategic decisions gathered from firms located in Dubai. Findings: Positive politics significantly influence decision creativity and propitiousness. Also, macro-economic uncertainty moderates this relationship. Research limitations/implications: Although this research has tried to adopt a more neutral perspective on political behavior, much more work is required to better understand the role and implications of neutral politics in decision-making. Practical implications: If decision makers ensure that the concern for the organization’s welfare remains a priority over the self-serving motives of the actors, then politics can enhance decision success. Social implications: This paper challenges the long held conventional wisdom that politics in organizations are an important underlying cause of unethical practices, poor decisions and organizational ineffectiveness. Originality/value: The findings serve to further the understanding of complexities involved in the relationships between political behavior and its consequences.