Research suggests that the performance-avoid goal orientation (PAGO) trait inhibits employee creativity by prompting individuals to avoid rejection in social situations. However, we challenge this conclusion by investigating the role of bootlegging in developing their creative output, especially under high team culture tightness. Drawing on trait activation theory, we propose that under high team culture tightness, PAGO individuals engage in informally innovative efforts away from the scrutinizing eyes of others and outside of formally authorized programs, known as bootlegging, thus upholding their creative output. These hypotheses were supported in a scenario experiment among 279 employees and a multi-wave, multi-source field survey among 318 employees in 63 work teams. Our findings thus challenge the prevailing conclusion, shed new light on understanding the pathway (i.e., bootlegging) toward creativity for PAGO individuals, and emphasize the importance of team culture tightness.
