When and why people engage in different forms of proactive behavior: Interactive effects of self-construals and work characteristics
When and why do people engage in different forms of proactive behavior at work? We propose that as a result of a process of trait activation, employees with different types of self-construal engage in distinct forms of proactive behavior if they work in environments consistent with their self-constr...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
| Published: |
Academy of Management
2018
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/69695 |
| _version_ | 1848762109906649088 |
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| author | Wu, C. Parker, Sharon Wu, L. Lee, C. |
| author_facet | Wu, C. Parker, Sharon Wu, L. Lee, C. |
| author_sort | Wu, C. |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | When and why do people engage in different forms of proactive behavior at work? We propose that as a result of a process of trait activation, employees with different types of self-construal engage in distinct forms of proactive behavior if they work in environments consistent with their self-construals. In an experimental Study 1 (n 5 61), we examined the effect of self-construals on proactivity and found that people primed with interdependent self-construals engaged in more work unit-oriented proactive behavior when job interdependence was also manipulated. Priming independent self-construals did not enhance career-oriented proactive behavior, even when we manipulated job autonomy. In a field Study 2 (n 5 205), we found that employees with interdependent self-construals working in jobs with high interdependence reported higher work unit commitment and higher work unit-oriented proactive behavior compared to employees in low interdependent jobs. Employees with independent self-construals working in jobs with high autonomy also exhibited stronger career commitment and more careeroriented proactive behavior than did those in jobs with low autonomy. This research offers a theoretical framework to explain how dispositional and situational factors interactively shape people's engagement in different forms of proactive behavior. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T10:42:21Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-69695 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T10:42:21Z |
| publishDate | 2018 |
| publisher | Academy of Management |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-696952020-06-15T01:02:37Z When and why people engage in different forms of proactive behavior: Interactive effects of self-construals and work characteristics Wu, C. Parker, Sharon Wu, L. Lee, C. When and why do people engage in different forms of proactive behavior at work? We propose that as a result of a process of trait activation, employees with different types of self-construal engage in distinct forms of proactive behavior if they work in environments consistent with their self-construals. In an experimental Study 1 (n 5 61), we examined the effect of self-construals on proactivity and found that people primed with interdependent self-construals engaged in more work unit-oriented proactive behavior when job interdependence was also manipulated. Priming independent self-construals did not enhance career-oriented proactive behavior, even when we manipulated job autonomy. In a field Study 2 (n 5 205), we found that employees with interdependent self-construals working in jobs with high interdependence reported higher work unit commitment and higher work unit-oriented proactive behavior compared to employees in low interdependent jobs. Employees with independent self-construals working in jobs with high autonomy also exhibited stronger career commitment and more careeroriented proactive behavior than did those in jobs with low autonomy. This research offers a theoretical framework to explain how dispositional and situational factors interactively shape people's engagement in different forms of proactive behavior. 2018 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/69695 10.5465/amj.2013.1064 Academy of Management restricted |
| spellingShingle | Wu, C. Parker, Sharon Wu, L. Lee, C. When and why people engage in different forms of proactive behavior: Interactive effects of self-construals and work characteristics |
| title | When and why people engage in different forms of proactive behavior: Interactive effects of self-construals and work characteristics |
| title_full | When and why people engage in different forms of proactive behavior: Interactive effects of self-construals and work characteristics |
| title_fullStr | When and why people engage in different forms of proactive behavior: Interactive effects of self-construals and work characteristics |
| title_full_unstemmed | When and why people engage in different forms of proactive behavior: Interactive effects of self-construals and work characteristics |
| title_short | When and why people engage in different forms of proactive behavior: Interactive effects of self-construals and work characteristics |
| title_sort | when and why people engage in different forms of proactive behavior: interactive effects of self-construals and work characteristics |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/69695 |