The interactive relationship of competitive climate and trait competitiveness with workplace attitudes, stress, and performance

Abstract

SummaryThere has been a considerable debate about the individual and organizational benefits of competition. Adopting a person-environment fit perspective, this research examined the influence of competition as an interaction between trait competitiveness and competitive climate. Using a sample of information technology workers, competitive climate was considered as both an individual level variable and a workgroup variable. Results show that the effect of competitive climate depended on trait competitiveness and the level at which climate was assessed for four of the outcomes assessed: job satisfaction, organizational commitment, job dedication, and supervisor-rated task performance. In general, the effect of competitive climate was more negative for individuals lower in trait competitiveness.Competitive psychological climate was associated with greater stress regardless of the level of trait competitiveness but was not directly related to self-rated task performance. Findings suggest that managers should be cautious in encouraging competitive climate.

The worried, the competitive and the indifferent—Approaches to the future in youth, their structural roots and outcomes in adult life

“…According to this perspective, competition promotes less favorable sides of people, such as egoism for example. There are also studies indicating that competitiveness may not improve performance after all [42,51,52].…”

“…On the one hand, there is the view that competitiveness is a good thing that makes people do their best [45]. According to social comparison theory [46] it is consistent with western culture to compare oneself to others in order to affirm one's own competence [see also 47,42]. Thus, according to this line of thought, competition is both something that people like to engage in, and something that improves their performance.…”

“…The question upon which the analyses are based asked to what extent the respondent compares his/her future prospects to those of others (see Section 6). Competitiveness as a personal trait is known to vary across individuals [42,43] and it implies an interest in comparing oneself to others and in exceeding their performances [44]. As has been noted by Fletcher et al [42] there are two contrasting views of the role of competitiveness.…”

“…Competitiveness as a personal trait is known to vary across individuals [42,43] and it implies an interest in comparing oneself to others and in exceeding their performances [44]. As has been noted by Fletcher et al [42] there are two contrasting views of the role of competitiveness. On the one hand, there is the view that competitiveness is a good thing that makes people do their best [45].…”

Competitive Psychological Climate and Turnover Intention with the Mediating Role of Affective Commitment

“…Barankay (2010) discovered that when freelance employees are ranked between each other, they are found to have reduced their work effort and are more likely to quit. Therefore, it is hypothesised that: H1: Competitive psychological climate is positively related to turnover intention Fletcher, Major, and Davis (2008) found that competitive psychological climate is negatively related to organisational commitment among information technology professionals with low competitiveness trait. A competitive climate at the workplace is expected to weaken one's commitment to the organisation because such a climate motivates one to leave the organisation (Arhab et al, 2013;Barankay, 2010;de Meis et al, 2003).…”