Proactive Behavior in Organizations

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Proactive Behavior in Organizations Journal of Management 2000, Vol. 26, No. 3, 435–462 Proactive Behavior in Organizations J. Michael Crant University of Notre Dame Many practitioner-oriented publications argue that managers should be more proactive on the job, and that proactive behavior is an increasingly important component of job performance. Organizational research on the antecedents and consequences of proactive behavior has appeared in several different literatures and has taken different approaches toward defining, measuring, and understanding proactivity. In this article, I review a diverse set of literatures that directly address proactive behavior in organizational contexts. I describe four constructs related to proactive behavior: proactive personality, personal initiative, role breadth self-efficacy, and taking charge. Next, I review six research domains that have explicitly addressed proactive behaviors: socializa- tion, feedback seeking, issue selling, innovation, career management, and certain kinds of stress management. After considering findings from these research streams, I offer an analysis of the different approaches to the study of proactive behavior and provide a set of suggestions for future research. © 2000 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved. As work becomes more dynamic and decentralized, proactive behavior and initiative become even more critical determinants of organizational success. For example, as new forms of management are introduced that minimize the surveil- lance function, companies will increasingly rely on employees’ personal initiative to identify and solve problems (Frese, Fay, Hilburger, Leng, & Tag, 1997). Proactive behavior can be a high-leverage concept rather than just another management fad, and can result in increased organizational effectiveness (Bate- man & Crant, 1999). Companies must focus on identifying and correcting policies and systems that minimize and mitigate individual initiative (Frohman, 1997). Proactive behavior at work has received considerable scholarly research attention over the past fifteen years. It has not, however, emerged as an integrated research stream in the organizational behavior literature. There is no single definition, theory, or measure driving this body of work; rather, researchers have adopted a number of different approaches toward identifying the antecedents and consequences of proactive behavior, and they have examined them in a number of seemingly disconnected literatures. Potential and actual job performance (e.g., Direct all correspondence to: J. Michael Crant, University of Notre Dame, Department of Management, P.O. Box 399, Notre Dame, IN 46556-0399; Phone: (219) 631-6765; Fax: (219) 631-5255; e-mail: [email protected]. Copyright © 2000 by Elsevier Science Inc. 0149-2063 435 436 J.M. CRANT Ashford & Northcraft, 1992; Crant, 1995), leadership (e.g., Crant & Bateman, 2000; Deluga, 1998), careers (e.g., Claes & Ruiz-Quintanilla, 1998; Bell & Staw, 1989), entrepreneurship (e.g., Becherer & Maurer, 1999; Crant, 1996), work teams (Kirkman & Rosen, 1999), socialization (e.g., Morrison, 1993a, 1993b), feedback (e.g., Ashford & Cummings, 1985; VandeWalle & Cummings, 1997), and even the reputation of American presidents (Deluga, 1998) have all been examined through the lens of proactivity and initiative. However, there are not yet any published reviews of the proactive behavior literature. The purpose of the present article is to synthesize findings from these diverse areas of inquiry and draw some conclusions about proactive behavior in the work environment. To- ward that end, I will highlight the theoretical underpinnings of research on proactivity and initiative, describe various approaches to its conceptualization and measurement, review empirical findings, and offer some summary observations and suggestions for future research. Because proactive behavior has been conceptualized and measured in a variety of ways, a definition of proactive behavior that captures the essence of the various approaches must be coarse grained. I define proactive behavior as taking initiative in improving current circumstances or creating new ones; it involves challenging the status quo rather than passively adapting to present conditions. Employees can engage in proactive activities as part of their in-role behavior in which they fulfill basic job requirements. For example, sales agents might pro- actively seek feedback on their techniques for closing a sale with an ultimate goal of improving job performance. Extra-role behaviors can also be proactive, such as efforts to redefine one’s role in the organization. For example, employees might engage in career management activities by identifying and acting on opportunities to change the scope of their jobs or move to more desirable divisions of the business. This article is not intended to be a comprehensive review of all published literature that could be interpreted as containing elements of proactive behavior. For example, I do not review impression management research (see Gardner & Martinko, 1988, for a review of this literature), even though it could be argued that aggressive tactics like self-promotion and ingratiation are examples of proactive behaviors. To establish a content domain for the present review, I conducted an electronic search of the PsychINFO database on the keywords “proactive” and “initiative” for the period from January 1967 to June 1999. Based on this search, I decided to focus on 1) various conceptualizations and measures of proactive behavior, and 2) six research streams that explicitly incorporate the idea of proactive behavior and have received considerable research attention. While I have attempted to review a representative set of articles in the six areas, this should not be considered an exhaustive review of the specific behaviors. Theoretical Underpinnings A common thread binding the various approaches to the study of proactivity and initiative is an action orientation toward organizational behaviors. Under this perspective, employees take an active role in their approach toward work; they JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT, VOL. 26, NO. 3, 2000 PROACTIVE BEHAVIOR IN ORGANIZATIONS 437 initiate situations and create favorable conditions. This is in contrast to a more passive, reactive pattern of behavior. Proactive people actively seek information and opportunities for improving things; they don’t passively wait for information and opportunities to come to them. For example, Frese et al. (1997) described the concept of personal initiative as involving an active and self-starting approach to work. Bateman and Crant (1993) argued that proactive individuals actively create environmental change, while less proactive people take a more reactive approach toward their jobs. One theme of Ashford and her colleagues’ research on proactive feedback seeking (e.g., Ashford & Cummings, 1983, 1985) is that many people are not simply passive recipients of information at work; rather, they actively seek it. Similarly, the concept of issue selling (e.g., Dutton & Ashford, 1993; Ashford, Rothbard, Piderit, & Dutton, 1998) involves middle managers actively shaping the strategic planning process by calling attention to particular areas of interest. Despite this shared emphasis on active rather than passive behaviors at work, there is not uniform agreement on how to best conceptualize and measure proactivity at work. Some researchers have emphasized personal dispositions toward proactivity (e.g., Bateman & Crant, 1993; Frese, Kring, Soose, & Zempel, 1996), while others maintain that proactive behavior is more a function of situational cues (e.g., Morrison & Phelps, 1999). Furthermore, some researchers have examined the general concept of proactivity across a wide array of organi- zational behaviors, such as work on the proactive personality and its effects on outcomes including job performance, perceptions of leadership, career outcomes, and team effectiveness (e.g., Crant & Bateman, 2000; Crant, 1995; Deluga, 1998; Seibert, Crant, & Kraimer, 1999; Kirkman & Rosen, 1999). In contrast, other researchers have focused on specific proactive behaviors that occur in a particular context. For example, research on proactive socialization has focused on new- comers’ initiative in gathering information in the context of their first six months on the job (e.g., Miller & Jablin, 1991; Morrison, 1993a, 1993b). Drawing from both general and context-specific conceptualizations of pro- active behavior, Figure 1 depicts an integrative framework of the antecedents and consequences of proactive behavior. The model is intended to help researchers interested in various proactive behaviors identify the types of variables that have been studied. In addition, the model demonstrates that proactive behaviors have been characterized in different ways and studied in an array of literatures, which might spur organizational scholars whose primary research interests lie in other domains to consider how proactive behaviors may inform their own research. Two broad categories of antecedents are included in the model: individual differences and contextual factors. One set of individual differences is composed of constructs specifically designed to capture one’s disposition toward or potential to perform proactive behaviors, such as proactive personality and role breadth self-efficacy. The other set of individual differences included in the model consists of variables associated with specific proactive behaviors, such as desire for feedback and job involvement. Contextual factors, such as uncertainty
Recommended publications
  • Proactive Socialization Tactics, Citizenship and Counterproductive Work Behaviors Ozgun Burcu Rodopman University of South Florida
    University of South Florida Scholar Commons Graduate Theses and Dissertations Graduate School 2009 The oler of proactivity during organizational entry: Proactive socialization tactics, citizenship and counterproductive work behaviors Ozgun Burcu Rodopman University of South Florida Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd Part of the American Studies Commons Scholar Commons Citation Rodopman, Ozgun Burcu, "The or le of proactivity during organizational entry: Proactive socialization tactics, citizenship and counterproductive work behaviors" (2009). Graduate Theses and Dissertations. http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/2170 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at Scholar Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Scholar Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The Role of Proactivity during Organizational Entry: Proactive Socialization Tactics, Citizenship and Counterproductive Work Behaviors by Ozgun Burcu Rodopman A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Psychology College of Arts and Sciences University of South Florida Major Professor: Paul Spector, Ph.D. Walter C. Borman, Ph.D. Carnot Nelson, Ph.D. Joseph Vandello, Ph.D. Chu-Hsiang Chang, Ph.D. Date of Approval: July 6, 2009 Keywords: performance, organizational socialization, newcomer adjustment, justice, personal initiative ©Copyright 2009, Ozgun Burcu Rodopman Dedication For my wonderful parents, Mualla and Kudret, as always… Acknowledgements I am indebted to many people in the completion of this research and for my success in graduate school. First and foremost, I would like to thank my dear advisor, Dr.
    [Show full text]
  • Strategy and Strategic Management 1
    CHAPTER STRATEGY AND STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT 1 For the past decade, Texas Health has been executing a strategic plan called the Ascent to the Summit. As the organization nears the end of that climb with a stronger strategic footing in place, the THR Promise continues to unify and strengthen us as we move into a journey toward becoming a high-reliability organization transforming the way healthcare is delivered. In the past decade, Texas Health has shifted from an acute care hospital company to an integrated health system. In 2009, Texas Health Physicians Group was formed, creating a base of employed physicians who work with Texas Health on numerous objectives. Today, the group includes more than 830 physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and medical pro- fessionals dedicated to providing safe, quality care for its patients. The Texas Health Physicians Group’s primary care and specialist network represents more than 50 medical specialties, with more than 250 locations spanning 11 North Texas counties. Because of our culture, Texas Health was rec- ognized in 2015 as the number one healthcare organization to work for in the United States by Fortune. We also were recognized as the number two workplace for women and the number three workplace for diversity in the nation, with one-third of our nurses from ethnically diverse backgrounds. We’re proud to say we reflect the diversity of the communities we serve. —Barclay Berdan, 2016, “Climbing the Healthcare Summit” Learning Objectives After reading this chapter, you will • comprehend that strategy has many definitions, and its meaning depends on one’s perspective; • understand the role of strategy in moving a healthcare organization to achieve its goals, increase its business, and improve its performance; • recognize the use of prospective and emergent strategies; and • be aware that business strategies evolve over time as a result of changing circumstances and managerial modifications.
    [Show full text]
  • Antecedents of Other-Centered and Self-Centered Proactive Behaviors By
    Characterizing Employee Proactivity: Antecedents of Other-Centered and Self-Centered Proactive Behaviors by Anne Janssen a Thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology Approved Dissertation Committee Prof. Dr. Christian Stamov Roßnagel Prof. Dr. Sabine Sonnentag Prof. Dr. Song Yan Prof. Dr. Sven Voelpel Date of Defense: 21. December 2015 für meine Jungs Micha und Mats iii Abstract Contemporary work lives are characterized by frequent changes in the work environment. Such changes refer to work processes, tasks, teams, or even jobs and often go along with neg- ative consequences like stress, turnover intentions, and reduced performance. Past research has emphasized that individual proactivity can be a coping approach in these demanding situations. Antecedents of a wide range of proactive behaviors have been identified in numerous studies. Other studies focused on the categorization of behaviors. The present dissertation aimed to inte- grate previous literature and provides a more parsimonious classification model through compre- hensive insights into the prediction of proactive behaviors. For this purpose, three studies were conducted. The first study applied an innovative approach to develop short measurement instru- ments for proactive personality and supervisor support as significant antecedents of proactive behaviors. The findings of the second study reveal that proactive behaviors can be simultaneously distinguished according to their form and type and their intended target of impact. As a conse- quence, other-centered and self-centered proactive behavior categories were identified. Whereas felt responsibility for change positively predicted both other- and self-centered proactive be- haviors, personal values (other-centered and self-centered values) affected proactive behaviors differently.
    [Show full text]
  • Predictors and Outcomes of Proactivity in the Socialization Process
    Journal of Applied Psycholog1 Copyright 2000 by the American Psychological Association, Inc. 2000, Vol. 85, No. 3, 373-38: 0021-9010/00/S5.00 DOI: 10.1037//0021-9010.85.3.373 Predictors and Outcomes of Proactivity in the Socialization Process Connie R. Wanberg and John D. Kammeyer-Mueller University of Minnesota This 3-wave longitudinal study aimed to extend current understanding of the predictors and outcomes of employee proactivity (involving information seeking, feedback seeking, relationship building, and positive framing) in the socialization process. Two personality variables, extraversion and openness to experience, were associated with higher levels of proactive socialization behavior. Of the proactive behaviors studied, feedback seeking and relationship building were highlighted in their importance because of their various relationships with the work-related outcomes assessed in this study (e.g., social integration, role clarity, job satisfaction, intention to turnover, and actual turnover). The results also highlighted the importance of 2 control variables (opportunity to interact with others on the job and skill level of the new job) in the experience of socialization into a new job. Organizational socialization is the process by which "a person predictors and outcomes of individual proactivity during the so- secures relevant job skills, acquires a functional level of organi- cialization process and to suggest that newcomer personality may zational understanding, attains supportive social interactions with be an important determinant of proactivity in the socialization coworkers, and generally accepts the established ways of a partic- process. Figure 1 provides a preview of the variables and relation- ular organization" (Taormina, 1997, p. 29). Because successful ships to be examined in this study.
    [Show full text]
  • Upturning Performance in Downturn Times - Tame the Blame
    Upturning Performance in Downturn Times - Tame the Blame - DeAnna Murphy with Lisa Gregory and Steve Jeffs Developing Interdependent Leadership | 952.797.4317 Upturning Performance in Downturn Times - Tame the Blame - At a time when more than ever before businesses are running lean and trying to survive, leaders can’t afford to not focus their attention on those things that produce the highest return-on-investment of time, energy, and resources. This report is designed to help you do just that. Its purpose is to synthesize important research that reveals a major factor that is undermining the energy and performance of more than 83% of all employees and leaders today. This will help you focus your attention on a significant root cause of poor performance and prevent expensive, time wasting approaches to transforming it. It will help you better see crucial levers of energy and growth that are especially relevant in today’s new economy. This report comes out of a recent research study involving 1,800 people in seven different countries around the globe. The purpose of the study was to find individual patterns of behavior that are linked to these key business performance drivers: Employee engagement – the enthusiastic voluntary contribution of excellent work Teamwork – the creation of strong complementary high-trust relationships and strong collaboration Proactivity – the elimination of time-wasting problems and interactions through preventive efforts and self-initiative. These drivers were selected after completing a lengthy pre-work review of two-hundred best-selling leadership and business books, over two-hundred academic articles focused on leadership and organizational performance, and annual reports from top-rated firms such as Bersin, Corn Ferry, Watson Wyatt, Gallup.
    [Show full text]
  • Wise Proactivity: How to Be Proactive And
    Organizational Dynamics (2016) 45, 217—227 Available online at www.sciencedirect.com ScienceDirect jo urnal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/orgdyn Wise proactivity: How to be proactive and wise in building your career Sharon K. Parker, Jenny Liao John is a financial consultant working for a large company. to just carry on as usual, but Freda feels it is important to He has been working with the company for ten years and act. She really loves her work and believes she can make a has had one promotion in that time. John is frustrated valuable high-level contribution–—maybe she can even with his company. His friends who work for other compa- become the Police Chief one day. She wants to understand nies have been promoted at least twice in the same why she did not get the post. Freda schedules an appoint- period. John spends a lot of time ruminating about ment with senior colleagues involved in the selection whether he should move to another company that will process, advising them that the purpose of the meeting better recognize and reward his talents. Invariably is to gain some feedback about how she can better posi- though, John decides that it is better to just stay put tion herself for future roles similar to the one she missed and drop hints during his annual performance appraisal out on. that he would like to be promoted. What do you notice about these three different scenarios? How proactive do you think John, Laura, and Freda were? Laura is a lawyer for a small private firm.
    [Show full text]
  • Assumptions, Values, Artifacts, and the Impact on Employee Job Satisfaction Lei-Da Chen Creighton University, [email protected]
    Communications of the Association for Information Systems Volume 22 Article 13 1-2008 A Theoretical Model of Nomadic Culture: Assumptions, Values, Artifacts, and the Impact on Employee Job Satisfaction Lei-da Chen Creighton University, [email protected] Cynthia L. Corritore Creighton University Follow this and additional works at: https://aisel.aisnet.org/cais Recommended Citation Chen, Lei-da and Corritore, Cynthia L. (2008) "A Theoretical Model of Nomadic Culture: Assumptions, Values, Artifacts, and the Impact on Employee Job Satisfaction," Communications of the Association for Information Systems: Vol. 22 , Article 13. DOI: 10.17705/1CAIS.02213 Available at: https://aisel.aisnet.org/cais/vol22/iss1/13 This material is brought to you by the AIS Journals at AIS Electronic Library (AISeL). It has been accepted for inclusion in Communications of the Association for Information Systems by an authorized administrator of AIS Electronic Library (AISeL). For more information, please contact [email protected]. A Theoretical Model of Nomadic Culture: Assumptions, Values, Artifacts, and the Impact on Employee Job Satisfaction Lei-da Chen Cynthia L. Corritore Department of Information Systems & Technology Eppley College of Business Administration Creighton University Omaha, NE 68178 [email protected] The model of an anytime-anywhere workforce is changing the landscape of business today. Increasingly employees are being emancipated from their traditional offices by the widespread infiltration of technologies that facilitate this model. The question is, how can we characterize the culture developing in support of these new ways of working and how can they be cultivated? Understanding this “ nomadic culture ” is critical to both researchers and practitioners. Due to the newness of these technologies and the speed of their integration into today’s work practices, prior research lends little direction in understanding this developing culture.
    [Show full text]
  • The Role of Organizational Support in Non-Technical Dimensions of Safety: a Case Study in the Automotive Sector
    International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health Article The Role of Organizational Support in Non-Technical Dimensions of Safety: A Case Study in the Automotive Sector Teresa Galanti, Teresa Di Fiore, Stefania Fantinelli * and Michela Cortini Department of Psychological, Health and Territory Sciences, “G. d’Annunzio” University of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy; [email protected] (T.G.); teresa.difi[email protected] (T.D.F.); [email protected] (M.C.) * Correspondence: [email protected] Abstract: Background. Historically, the most important approach to safety management consisted of controlling variability and error in human performance. This assumption was questioned by the changes of the economy and technology, which introduced higher levels of unpredictability and uncertainty. Starting from this consideration, our research aimed to investigate the issue of organizational safety from the dual perspective of individuals and organizations, with the aim of highlighting the weight that both actors have in the co-construction of a safe workplace. Method.A cross-sectional study was performed among workers of a multinational company of the automotive sector, through an online self-report questionnaire. Results. The results highlight the key role of two variables investigated, linked to safety management: organizational mindfulness and organizational citizenship behavior for safety. The first seems to be a partial mediator in the relationship between organizational support and affective commitment; the second, instead, seems to be a complete mediator between organizational support and safety ownership, otherwise non directly related. Conclusions Citation: Galanti, T.; Di Fiore, T.; . This study confirms the importance of considering both individual and organizational Fantinelli, S.; Cortini, M.
    [Show full text]
  • Redesigning Work Design Theories: the Rise of Relational And
    Redesigning Work Design Theories: The Rise of Relational and Proactive Perspectives Adam M. Grant and Sharon K. Parker Forthcoming in the Academy of Management Annals, 3 (2009) Author Note Adam M. Grant, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania; Sharon K. Parker, Institute of Work Psychology, University of Sheffield. For helpful feedback, we thank Art Brief, Jim Walsh, Yitzhak Fried, Tina Juillerat, and Frederick Morgeson. Correspondence concerning this manuscript should be addressed to Dr. Adam M. Grant. Email: [email protected] Redesigning Work Design Theories 2 ABSTRACT Many scholars assume that the fundamental questions about work design have been answered. However, a global shift from manufacturing economies to service and knowledge economies has dramatically altered the nature of work in organizations. To keep pace with these important and rapid changes, work design theory and research is undergoing a transformation. We trace the highlights of two emerging viewpoints on work design: relational perspectives and proactive perspectives. Relational perspectives focus on how jobs, roles, and tasks are more socially embedded than ever before, based on increases in interdependence and interactions with coworkers and service recipients. Proactive perspectives capture the growing importance of employees taking initiative to anticipate and create changes in how work is performed, based on increases in uncertainty and dynamism. Together, these two perspectives challenge the widely held belief that new developments in work design theory and research are no longer needed. Our review charts the central contributions and unanswered questions from these relational and proactive perspectives with the goal of inspiring renewed interest in advancing theory, research, and practice on work design.
    [Show full text]
  • Team Dynamics, Leadership, and Employee Proactivity of Vietnamese Firms
    Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity Article Team Dynamics, Leadership, and Employee Proactivity of Vietnamese Firms Tan Huynh 1, Minh Hon Duong 1, Thuy Thanh Phan 1, Tu Van Do 2, Truc Thi Thanh Do 3 and Khai The Nguyen 4,* 1 Faculty of Business Administration, Nguyen Tat Thanh University, Ho Chi Minh 700000, Vietnam; [email protected] (T.H.); [email protected] (M.H.D.); [email protected] (T.T.P.) 2 Faculty of Business Administration, University of Phan Thiet, Ho Chi Minh 700000, Vietnam; [email protected] 3 Faculty of Business Administration, Saigon Technology University, Ho Chi Minh 700000, Vietnam; [email protected] 4 Faculty of Business Administration, Ho Chi Minh City Open University, Ho Chi Minh 700000, Vietnam * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +84-94-3793939 Received: 28 January 2019; Accepted: 3 March 2019; Published: 8 March 2019 Abstract: Integrating the relational approach and social exchange theory, the authors conceptualize the quality of leader-member and team member exchanges as mediators for understanding the role of transformational leadership in employee proactive behaviors (e.g., voice, taking charge, and innovative behaviors). The results based on data collected from 352 full-time employees working in pharmaceutical companies in Vietnam largely support the proposed theoretical framework and shed light on the mechanism through which leadership style influences employee proactivity in a manufacturing context. Using the results, the authors discuss research limitation and, managerial implications, and suggest future research directions for the relationship between leadership style and employee proactive behavior. Keywords: transformational leadership; leader-member exchange; team member exchange; proactive behavior; pharmaceutical companies 1.
    [Show full text]
  • Employee Proactivity in Hotels Undergoing Organizational Change and Development
    Ateneo de Manila University Archīum Ateneo Psychology Department Faculty Publications Psychology Department 10-2017 Employee proactivity in hotels undergoing organizational change and development Alfred Presbitero Deakin University Mendiola Teng-Calleja Ateneo de Manila University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://archium.ateneo.edu/psychology-faculty-pubs Part of the Industrial and Organizational Psychology Commons Recommended Citation Presbitero, A., & Teng-Calleja, M. (2017). Employee proactivity in hotels undergoing organizational change and development. Journal of Human Resources in Hospitality & Tourism, 16(4), 401-421. This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Psychology Department at Archīum Ateneo. It has been accepted for inclusion in Psychology Department Faculty Publications by an authorized administrator of Archīum Ateneo. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Journal of Human Resources in Hospitality & Tourism ISSN: 1533-2845 (Print) 1533-2853 (Online) Journal homepage: https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/whrh20 Employee proactivity in hotels undergoing organizational change and development Alfred Presbitero & Mendiola Teng-Calleja To cite this article: Alfred Presbitero & Mendiola Teng-Calleja (2017) Employee proactivity in hotels undergoing organizational change and development, Journal of Human Resources in Hospitality & Tourism, 16:4, 401-421, DOI: 10.1080/15332845.2017.1266873 To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/15332845.2017.1266873 Published online: 01 Feb 2017. Submit your article to this journal Article views: 438 View related articles View Crossmark data Citing articles: 1 View citing articles Full Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at https://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=whrh20 JOURNAL OF HUMAN RESOURCES IN HOSPITALITY & TOURISM 2017, VOL.
    [Show full text]
  • Praise for Proactivity: the Role of Leadership and Supervisor Personality in Rewarding Employee Proactivity
    PRAISE FOR PROACTIVITY: THE ROLE OF LEADERSHIP AND SUPERVISOR PERSONALITY IN REWARDING EMPLOYEE PROACTIVITY Katherine N. Alexander A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate College of Bowling Green State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS December 2009 Committee: Charlotte Fritz, Advisor Michael Zickar Robert Carels ii ABSTRACT Charlotte Fritz, Advisor Previous research has suggested that proactivity in the workplace can be beneficial at both the individual and the organizational level, but little is known about when proactivity is appreciated by supervisors. This study examined when supervisors reward proactivity by providing more positive performance evaluations to their subordinates. I proposed that the supervisor’s leadership style, their quality of relationship with their subordinate, and their personality would moderate the relationship between proactivity and performance evaluations. I investigated three types of proactivity: taking charge, voice, and issue selling. I also examined three different leadership styles, namely transformational, transactional, and laissez-faire leadership, as well, as leader-member exchange, and the supervisor’s neuroticism, agreeableness, and openness to experience. The sample consisted of 140 employees and their direct supervisors who were employed at various non-profit organizations across the United States. All measures were available online and participants received a $10 gift card for their participation. Results indicated strong relationships between proactive behaviors and performance evaluations, suggesting that supervisors do reward employee proactivity. However, the moderator hypotheses were not supported. The implications of these results for research and practice are discussed. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am extremely grateful to my advisor, Charlotte Fritz, for her support, guidance, and direction throughout this process.
    [Show full text]