30 years of psychological ownership theory: a bibliometric review and guide for management scholars

Abstract

Purpose This study systematically reviews the literature on psychological ownership theory since its inception 30 years ago. Psychological ownership describes why and how individuals inform their identities by taking ownership. The authors provide guidance and support to management scholars to access the field and make meaningful contributions to the literature. Design/methodology/approach A variety of bibliometric techniques for performance analyses and science mapping is implemented to examine quantitative bibliographic data of 178 studies on psychological ownership. The data are obtained from Web of Science. The VOSviewer science mapping framework is employed to perform the analyses. Findings Co-authorship, citation and keyword co-occurrence networks indicate the social structures, most influential authors, publications and journals, as well as topics of past research and avenues for future investigation in the field of psychological ownership. While the authors of the seminal studies Pierce et al. (2001, 2003) have shaped the field over the past decades, the future of psychological ownership research requires stronger collaborations across the globe to advance the field from the individual level to the group and organization level. Originality/value This study is the first to comprehensively analyze the management literature on psychological ownership from a historical perspective using a systematic approach, bibliometric procedures and quantitative data. Insightful guidance and avenues for future investigation are offered to move psychological ownership research forward.

Innovative Thinking in Volunteer Organizations: Addressing the Impact of Psychological Ownership on Volunteer Organizational Commitment

“…This relationship suggests that psychological ownership first enhances motivation by making volunteers feel more empowered and valued, thereby strengthening their commitment to the organization. The mediating role of motivation explains the process by which psychological ownership translates into organizational commitment, highlighting the importance of fostering a sense of ownership among volunteers to maintain their engagement and loyalty [21,38,39,44]. Therefore, this study establishes the following hypothesis:…”

“…Renz and Posthuma provided a comprehensive review of the development of psychological ownership theory, emphasizing key points over the past 30 years, including the formation and influencing factors of individual psychological ownership towards an organization or job, its impact at the team and organizational levels, and how to manage and promote its perception. They also discussed the experience of psychological ownership in different cultural contexts and cross-national comparisons, as well as how leaders and managers influence employees' perceptions of psychological ownership and apply this theory in management practice [39].…”

“…A sense of ownership can enhance a volunteer's intrinsic motivation, making them feel more responsible for the outcomes of their efforts and more engaged in their roles. Consequently, deeper emotional investment in volunteer activities increases psychological ownership, which, in turn, leads to enhanced motivation [10,17,38,39]. Based on this, the following hypothesis is proposed:…”

A two-decade history of women’s entrepreneurship research trajectories in developing economies context: perspectives from India

“…Despite the support programs and rising trends, women entrepreneurs still account for only 20% of all enterprises in India. Through our in-depth historical review (Medina-Craven et al , 2022; Renz and Posthuma, 2022), we could identify the focus areas needing strengthening and focus areas that can be added to increase the effectiveness of these policy measures. Through these inferences thus, we also propose a framework for the development of women entrepreneurs (Figure 4).…”

Innovative Thinking in Volunteer Organizations and Leaders: Addressing the Impact of Psychological Ownership on Volunteer Commitment

“…Renz and Posthuma provided a comprehensive review of the development of psychological ownership theory, emphasizing the evolution over the past 30 years, including: individual psychological ownership and its formative and influencing factors on organizations or jobs. The impact of psycho-logical ownership at team and organizational levels, how to manage and promote its perception, psychological ownership feelings across different cultural backgrounds, international comparisons, and how leaders and managers can influence employees' feelings of psychological ownership and apply the theory in management practices [40].…”