Qu, J., Khapova, \SvetlanaN.\ and Tang, Y. (2026). Bottom-up innovation under uncertainty: the role of face concerns in shaping overt and covert innovation across cultures Journal of International Business Studies, :.

Most research on bottom-up innovation emphasizes that employees innovate by embracing uncertainty, a view rooted in Anglo-Saxon cultures that value risk-taking. However, countries influenced by Confucian traditions, which prioritize harmony and conflict avoidance, also achieve strong innovation outcomes, presenting a cultural paradox. We address this paradox by introducing face concerns, the desire to maintain or enhance one{\textquoteright}s social image, as a culturally specific mechanism shaping innovation behavior. We conceptualize innovation uncertainty as twofold, involving task uncertainty and social uncertainty. The presence of innovative coworkers reduces task uncertainty and encourages innovation, but also increases social uncertainty, activating culturally distinct face concerns. In Anglo-Saxon contexts, promotion-focused face concern drives employees low in uncertainty avoidance to engage in overt innovation. In contrast, in Confucian contexts, prevention-focused face concern leads employees high in uncertainty avoidance to pursue covert innovation. We test these hypotheses through two studies, a scenario-based experiment and a multi-country survey conducted in the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, and China. Findings support our predictions, revealing that cultural orientations shape how employees navigate innovation uncertainty. This research advances understanding of bottom-up innovation by highlighting the culturally contingent mechanisms that foster distinct forms of innovative behavior.