Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Openness to experience is widely recognized as a driver of innovation, yet how flow experience mediates this relationship and whether emotional intelligence (EI) moderates it remain underexplored. METHODS: This study investigates the nonlinear mediating role of flow between openness and innovation behavior, and EI's moderating effect, using quantitative data from 475 R&D professionals (male, 75.16%; female, 24.84%). RESULTS: Results reveal a curvilinear mediation: moderate flow enhances innovation, but excessive flow diminishes it. EI buffers this relationship, enabling sustained innovation under high flow intensity. DISCUSSION: The findings highlight the need to manage flow dynamics and underscore EI as a critical factor for fostering innovation in R&D contexts, offering practical insights for organizational creativity management.