How does goal orientation affect employees’ innovation behavior: Data from China

Abstract

The study takes an interaction perspective to examine possible interaction effects of goal orientation, psychological capital, and organizational innovation climate aimed at enhancing employees’ innovation behavior. A total sample of 398 employees were selected in Chinese enterprises. The descriptive statistical analyses, multiple regression, and bootstrap approach are adopted to test the interactive effects after controlling for gender, age, years for work of employees, type of enterprises, and industry. Results indicate that learning goal orientation and proving goal orientation have a positive effect on employees’ innovation behavior through psychological capital. The positive relationship between psychological capital and employees’ innovation behavior is stronger when employees perceive more organizational innovation climate. Additionally, the positive effect of learning goal orientation and proving goal orientation on employees’ innovation behavior is stronger in high organizational innovation climate through high-level psychological capital than in low organizational innovation climate. However, the negative effect of avoiding goal orientation on innovation behavior is not significant. Finally, implications and further research are discussed.

Relationship between Goal-Orientation Culture and Job Commitment among Lecturers in Public Universities in Kenya

“…Goal orientation is an intrinsic feature that is highly relevant to work behavior, work attitude, and job performance. For achievement of organizational goals to be actualized, a high level of ability and effort must be put forth by an individual (Zhen, Cao & Wang, 2022). Stasielowicz (2018) argues that examination of goal relevant behaviour should be anchored upon the understanding of underlying commitment mechanisms that motivate individuals to perform.…”

“…According to Akinlabi, Dogo and Asikhia (2021), goals direct individuals' attention toward goal-relevant actions and create a framework for the interpretation of and reaction to related events and outcomes. As one of the pioneer of GO, Carol Dweck was mainly concerned with examining children in a school setting (Zhen et al, 2022). Dweck observed that children with mastery-oriented response patterns responded to failure with solution-oriented selfinstructions, maintained a positive effect, and their subsequent performance on the task improved (Shamin, Cang and Yu, 2017).…”

“…Dweck proposed two types of goals adhered to in achievement situations: learning goals and performance goals. Those with learning goals focus on improving their abilities and are not upset with failing (a mastery-oriented approach), whereas those with performance goals place a high degree of importance in being successful and maintaining positive judgments of their abilities (Zhen et al, 2022). Goal orientation is often evaluated via internal and external criteria since it emanates from motivational viewpoints (Stasielowicz, 2018).…”

“…In contrast, people with learning goals want to show competence and avoid showing incompetence to themselves (Ramnarain & Ramaila, 2016). People with a mastery goals orientation are not concerned about how many mistakes they make or how they appear to others but view mistakes as learning opportunities and help (Zhen et al, 2022). As a result, they are not afraid of failing because failing does not threaten their self-esteem (Li & Tsai, 2020).…”

“…As a result, they are not afraid of failing because failing does not threaten their self-esteem (Li & Tsai, 2020). Considerable research has been conducted to understand the nexus of goal orientation and performance in various organizational context (Li and Tsai, 2020;Sittar and Munawar, 2019;Zhen et al, 2022). However, significant confusion still exists regarding the extent and direction of their interrelationships, particularly with regards to job commitment among lecturers in universities.…”