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Am I motivated to share knowledge for better innovative performance? An approach and avoidance framework
Xiaowan Lin1, Lin Lu2, Muammer Ozer3
1Faculty of Business Administration, University of Macau.
The Journal of Applied Psychology
|March 28, 2022
Summary
Approach and avoidance motivation influence employee knowledge sharing and innovation. Organizational support and contract breach moderate these effects, impacting innovative performance.
Area of Science:
- Organizational Psychology
- Human Resource Management
- Innovation Studies
Background:
- Previous research highlights the importance of approach and avoidance motivation for creativity and innovation.
- Existing studies show mixed results, suggesting complex underlying mechanisms.
- The role of knowledge sharing (KS) as a mediator between motivation and innovation requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine how approach and avoidance motivation orientations influence explicit and implicit knowledge sharing (KS).
- To investigate the mediating role of KS in the relationship between motivation orientations and innovative performance.
- To explore the moderating effects of perceived organizational support and psychological contract breach.
Main Methods:
- A survey was conducted with 331 employees and their supervisors in two Chinese organizations.
- Data were collected on approach/avoidance motivation, explicit/implicit KS, perceived organizational support, psychological contract breach, and innovative performance.
- Statistical analyses were used to test the hypothesized relationships.
Main Results:
- Approach motivation was positively associated with both explicit and implicit KS.
- Avoidance motivation was positively related to explicit KS and negatively to implicit KS.
- Perceived organizational support moderated the effect of approach motivation, and psychological contract breach moderated the effect of avoidance motivation on KS, influencing innovative performance.
Conclusions:
- Employee motivation orientations significantly impact knowledge sharing behaviors, which in turn drive innovative performance.
- The type of knowledge sharing (explicit vs. implicit) is differentially affected by motivation orientations.
- Organizational context, specifically support and contract breach, plays a crucial role in shaping these motivational pathways to innovation.
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