The impact of cognitive dissonance on learning work behavior

Abstract

PurposeThis research proposes a framework, which identifies the underlying factors that shape learning behavior in the workplace. It takes organizational members' perspectives into consideration to gain better understanding on managing people and their behavior in the organizational learning process.Design/methodology/approachPrimary data were obtained through a questionnaire survey of 162 respondents from three organizations that had recently experienced an array of changes.FindingsIt is found that psychological discomfort is a condition that blocks people from acquiring and learning new knowledge during the transformation period. However, effective HR practices are likely to moderate individuals' inconsistent attitudes and unpleasant psychological states as well as enable their learning work behavior.Practical implicationsThe results support the notion that building and managing organizational learning requires basic shifts in how people think, behave, and interact in the process. Effective HR practices can help avoid dissonance and induce learning behavior in the workplace.Originality/valueThe contribution to the literature and business management is its empirical investigation and survey instrument developed to measure the impact of employees' cognitive dissonance as well as that of the HR practices on organizational learning during the change process. These perspectives were taken into consideration since people are regarded as key players in the learning process. The results also confirm the “normative perspective” of organizational learning that the effective learning process can be driven by some underlying factors including cognitive dissonance and HR practices.