A Cross-Cultural Structural Equation Modeling Study in Creative Education

Abstract

The relationship between mentoring approaches and innovation capability in design education remains underexplored despite its critical importance for fostering creative talent. This study investigates how different design mentoring styles influence students’ innovation capability through a comprehensive cross-cultural analysis. Using structural equation modeling, we analyzed data from 486 design students across three cultural regions (North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific) to examine the relationships between
mentoring styles, mentor-mentee relationship quality, and innovation outcomes. Our findings reveal that collaborative mentoring style has the strongest positive direct effect on innovation capability (β = 0.67, p < 0.001 ), followed by inspirational leadership style (β = 0.52, p < 0.001 ). The model explains 73.2% of the variance in innovation capability, with mentor relationship quality serving as a significant partial mediator (accounting for 25.6% to 32.6% of the total effects). Cross-cultural validation demonstrates the robustness of these relationships across different educational contexts, while also revealing nuanced cultural preferences aligned with Hofstede’s cultural dimensions. Rigorous tests for common method bias (Harman’s single-factor test and marker variable technique) confirmed the validity of the self-reported data. These results provide evidence-based guidance for design education institutions seeking to optimize mentoring practices for innovation development. The study contributes to the growing body of literature on design pedagogy and offers practical implications for cultivating the next generation of creative innovators.