A Multilevel Approach to Self-directed Employee Behavior: Evidence from South Korea

Abstract

Self-directed employees are often regarded as the key resource for making continual organizational success in business. In recent years, a few leading business organizations have introduced and implemented autonomy supporting human resource (HR) practices to encourage employees to present a high level of self-directed behavior. However, not all business organizations have been able to reap the benefits of autonomy supporting HR practices, and some fail in drawing positive outcomes. The purpose of this study is to identify and understand the role and impact of perceptions of autonomous work environments and positive psychological capital that affect self-directed behavior in a non-western cultural context with a multilevel approach. To achieve this purpose, this study investigates the relationships between employee perception of autonomous work environment (AWE), positive psychological capital (PsyCap), and self-directed behavior (SDB) in large Korean manufacturing companies. 331 surveys from 43 teams in six large Korean automotive part manufacturing companies were gathered and analyzed by using simple OLS regression and hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) analyses. Results revealed significant cross-level direct and indirect effects of supervisor’s perception of AWE and subordinate’s PsyCap on subordinates’ SDB. The combination of providing a high level of AWE for supervisors and developing the PsyCap of subordinates along with institutionalizing self-directed employee behavior as a performance appraisal is suggested as a strategic option for organizations to reap the benefits of autonomy supporting HR practices.