Predictors of Feedback Acceptance in Multinational Corporations: Potential Effects on Development Motivation

Abstract

This paper aims to identify the predictors of performance feedback acceptance and the potential effects of feedback acceptance on developmental motivation. In addition, this study investigates the impact of self-efficacy on the relationship between feedback acceptance and development orientation. An empirical analysis was conducted using data from 17 multinational corporations which conduct performance feedback evaluations and provide substantial feedback results for employees’ development. The results showed that feedback characteristics are the most important predictors of feedback acceptance, which in turn have an impact on development motivation, the consequence of acceptance. It was found that: first, performance feedback acceptance increases when feedback is specific; second, the presence of job-relevant information increases feedback acceptance; third, feedback acceptance has a positive relationship with development motivation, a psychological state formed after performance feedback is accepted; and lastly, despite the theoretical connection between self-efficacy and development motivation, this study did not find that self-efficacy has any impact on the relationship between performance feedback acceptance and development orientation. In summary, the important findings of this research is employee’s feedback acceptance was found to be psychological consequence and it has a positive relationship with developmental motivation.