The Mediating Role of Artificial Intelligence in the Relationship Between Organizational Climate and Librarians’ Creative Behavior

Document Type : Research Paper

Author

Assistant Professor, knowledge and information science , Persian Gulf University, Bushehr, Iran.

10.22059/jlib.2025.394141.1779

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between organizational climate and creative behavior, with a focus on the mediating role of artificial intelligence in medical science libraries located in Tehran.
Method: This study is applied in terms of purpose and descriptive-survey in terms of data collection method. The statistical population includes managers, administrative staff, and heads of medical science libraries affiliated with the Ministry of Health and Medical Education in Tehran. The entire population was included using a census method, with 176 individuals participating. Standard questionnaires were used to collect data on artificial intelligence, organizational climate, and employees' creative behavior. To assess the use of artificial intelligence, the 22-item questionnaire developed by Chen et al. (2022) was used, chosen for its conceptual comprehensiveness and adequate coverage of various AI dimensions. For assessing organizational climate, the 20-item questionnaire by Lyle Sussman and Sam Deep (1989) was used, which includes five components: communication effectiveness, satisfaction and agreement on procedures, reward satisfaction, role clarity, and goal clarity. Additionally, the 13-item questionnaire developed by Zhou and George (2001) was used to evaluate employees’ creative behavior. The reliability of the instruments was confirmed through Cronbach's alpha, and validity was verified using convergent and discriminant validity. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequency distribution and inferential statistics via structural equation modeling using Smart PLS.
Results: The results showed that organizational climate has a positive and significant effect on librarians’ creative behavior, and also positively affects artificial intelligence. Moreover, artificial intelligence has a positive and significant effect on creative behavior.
Conclusions: The findings of the study revealed that artificial intelligence (AI) plays a full mediating role in the relationship between organizational climate and librarians’ creative behavior. This means that organizational climate alone does not directly influence creative behavior unless AI infrastructure and capabilities are effectively implemented in libraries. This result suggests that the mere presence of a supportive organizational climate, without the integration of modern technological tools, cannot lead to enhanced employee creativity. Medical science libraries, as specialized environments with a service-educational nature and a high demand for innovation, can only benefit from the creative potential of their staff if technological foundations—particularly the effective use of AI—are strengthened. Therefore, the development of AI in libraries should not be seen merely as a technological advancement, but rather as an organizational enabler for fostering human creativity. This insight may serve as a valuable guide for library managers in formulating policies aimed at promoting organizational innovation through intelligent digital transformation.

Keywords

References

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Academic Librarianship and Information Research
Volume 59, Issue 1
March 2025
Pages 1-22

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