Cooperative Goal Interdependence Research Articles

“Thriving at work” or not? Research on the effects of performance pressure based on achievement motivation theory and two-factor theory

PurposeBased on achievement motivation theory and two-factor theory, this research aimed to synergize cooperative goal interdependence (refer to possessing incentive factors) and illegitimate tasks (refer to the absence of security factors) and build a triple interaction model in the process of performance pressure affecting employees’ thriving at work.Design/methodology/approachThis research collected 291 valid data through a two-point time-lagged method to test the direct effect of performance pressure on employees’ thriving at work and its moderating mechanism.FindingsPerformance pressure has a significant positive effect on employees’ thriving at work. Cooperative goal interdependence imposes an enhanced moderating effect between performance pressure and employees’ thriving at work. Illegitimate task imposes an interfering moderating effect between performance pressure and employees’ thriving at work and further interferes the enhanced moderating effect of cooperative goal interdependence.Practical implicationsUnder the premise of advocating for employees to internalize performance pressure originating from the organizational performance management system into their own achievement motivation, leaders should establish incentive systems and security systems for employees to realize self-achievement through the process of goal management and task management.Originality/valueThis research confirmed the joint determination of incentive effect and insecurity effect on employees’ achievement motivation by cooperative goal interdependence and illegitimate task and revealed the boundary conditions of employees’ choice of thriving at work.

How to promote ambidextrous innovation through integration with supply chain partners? The role of external knowledge acquisition and cooperative goal interdependence

ABSTRACT In today’s fiercely competitive environment, integration with supply chain partners and the acquisition of external knowledge have become increasingly important strategies for mitigating the resource tension between exploration and exploitation. The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between supply chain external (suppliers and customers) integration and ambidextrous innovation, with a focus on the mediating effect of external knowledge acquisition and the moderating effect of cooperative goal interdependence based on Chinese firm-level data. The empirical results of this study reveal several important findings. First, supplier integration and customer integration have positive effects on ambidextrous innovation. Second, supplier integration and customer integration are more beneficial for ambidextrous innovation in firms holding higher cooperative goal interdependence with both suppliers and customers than in firms holding lower cooperative goal interdependence with both suppliers and customers. Finally, external knowledge acquisition partially mediates the effects of supplier integration and customer integration on ambidextrous innovation. These findings provide top managers with important insights into the role of supply chain external integration in the promotion of ambidextrous innovation. This research also contributes to the literature on ambidexterity theory and enriches the knowledge management literature within the supply chain management framework.

Cooperation Versus Competition: How Do Helping Coworkers Affect Work–Family Conflict?

AbstractAlthough studies pay increasing attention to how organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) affects work–family conflict, most research ignores the boundary conditions and underlying mechanisms of this relationship. Drawing on goal interdependence theory and conservation of resources theory, this research sees two types of goal interdependence as important boundary conditions of how helping behavior affects work–family conflict. We use a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods to test our theoretical model. Specifically, using two-wave survey data collected from 386 employees and 90 supervisors in a manufacturing company, our quantitative study shows that the interaction of helping behavior with cooperative goal interdependence is positively associated with work–goal progress, whereas its interaction with competitive goal interdependence is negatively associated with work–goal progress. In turn, work–goal progress is negatively associated with work–family conflict. The results further reveal that the indirect effect of helping behavior on work–family conflict via work–goal progress is positive and significant only when the level of competitive (cooperative) goal interdependence is high (low). We use 196 employees from the same organization to conduct our qualitative study, the results of which further substantiate and extend the findings from our quantitative study. Finally, we discuss the theoretical and practical implications of our findings.

Knowledge seeking or sabotage? The effect of coworker relative overqualification on employee reaction from social comparison theory

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate the phenomenon of knowledge transfer between employees and coworkers. That is, when and why employees engage in knowledge seeking or knowledge sabotage when confronted with coworkers with higher relative overqualification.Design/methodology/approachThis study collected survey data from 315 employee-coworker pairs in East China at three-time points.FindingsThe results showed that when the cooperative goal interdependence between employee and coworker is high, the perception of coworker’s relative overqualification will cause benign envy of employees, which in turn promote employees to engage in knowledge seeking from coworker. However, when the competitive goal interdependence between employee and coworker is high, the perception of coworker’s relative overqualification will cause malicious envy of employees, which in turn promote employees to engage in knowledge sabotage toward coworker.Originality/valueThis research not only expands the theoretical perspective and outcomes of relative overqualification but also enriches the mechanism of knowledge seeking and knowledge sabotage. Meanwhile, this study also provides practical guidance for enterprises to reduce knowledge sabotage.

How New Employees’ Supervisor Relationship-Building Behavior Affect Coworker Helping Willingness?

Drawing from attribution theory, this study explores the mechanism of new employees’ supervisor relationship-building behavior on their coworkers’ willingness to help. Adopting a situational simulation experiment involving 233 in-service workers, we found that coworkers attribute the supervisor relationship-building behavior of new employees to two distinct motives: organizational concern motives and impression management motives. Coworkers’ attribution of new employees’ organizational concern motives positively affects their willingness to help new employees, whereas coworkers’ attribution of new employees’ impression management motives has a negative effect. Under the condition of high cooperative goal interdependence, people are more likely to attribute the motives of new employees’ supervisor relationship-building behavior to organizational concern motives. Furthermore, the indirect effect of new employees’ relationship-building behavior on the coworkers’ willingness to help through coworker-attributed organizational concern motives is stronger.

Do authoritarian leaders also have “fans”? The relationship between authoritarian leadership and employee followership behavior in the Chinese context

PurposeThe existing research rarely explains the value of authoritarian leadership in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The purpose of this study is to explore how authoritarian leadership facilitates employee followership behaviors of the SMEs in China by considering the moderating effects of cooperative goal interdependence and leader behavioral integrity.Design/methodology/approachThis research tested hypotheses with a two-wave survey from a sample of 258 respondents from SMEs in China. Hypotheses are tested using hierarchical regression analyses.FindingsFindings of the study have indicated the instrumental function of authoritarian leadership in facilitating employee followership behavior in SMEs. In particular, this study shows that the influence of authoritarian leadership on followership behavior was positively related when employees have high cooperative goal interdependence with authoritarian leaders, and when employees perceive a leader's high behavioral integrity.Practical implicationsThe study will help SMEs to understand that authoritarian leadership should seek optimal levels of cooperative goals with employees and integrate achievement goals into their career development strategy to enhance their followership behavior. In addition, authoritarian leadership should strive to take actions consistent with their words to guarantee the relationship between achieving goals and sharing mutual goals with employees.Originality/valueThe study contributes to the literature by addressing an important yet under-researched area, i.e. the effectiveness of authoritarian leadership in SMEs. Authoritarian leadership, a demanding and controlling leadership style, is often criticized by scholars. This study elaborates on a three-way interaction implied by self-determination theory in predicting followership behavior. It specifies the different roles of two situational factors (cooperative goal interdependence and leader behavior integrity) in affecting employees' followership behavior.

Motivating R&D team creativity: the social cognitive effect of external developmental feedback and internal goal interdependence

The relationship between external communication and R&D team creativity has received increasing attention in the R&D management literature. However, little is known about the motivational mechanism between the two. We propose a second‐stage moderation model based on social cognitive theory to explain whether, how and when R&D team’s external developmental feedback motivates its creativity. Using the data gathered from 452 R&D team members and 84 supervisors in a time‐lagged field study, we found external developmental feedback had a positive effect on R&D team creativity via increasing team creative efficacy. Further, conditional indirect effect analyses found that a high level of cooperative goal interdependence strengthened the positive effect of team creative efficacy on R&D team creativity and the mediating effect of team creative efficacy between external developmental feedback and R&D team creativity.

The antecedents and consequences of being envied by coworkers: An investigation from the victim perspective

This study focused on the victims of coworker envy and presented a comprehensive model of being envied by coworkers to explore its antecedents and consequences in the hospitality context. Based on a sample of 232 employee-supervisor dyads in five Chinese hotels, we found that competitive goal interdependence fostered coworker envy, whereas cooperative goal interdependence prevented it. Further, the experience of being envied by coworkers undermined the frontline hospitality employees’ social exchange relationship with coworkers. This in turn prevented them from engaging in organizational citizenship behavior directed at their organizations (OCBO) and specific individuals (OCBI) such as organization members. In addition, envied employees’ others’ approval of the contingent self-esteem was found to strengthen (1) the direct effect of being envied by coworkers on coworker exchange and (2) the indirect effect of being envied by coworkers on OCBO and OCBI via coworker exchange.

Cooperative goals and dynamic capability: the mediating role of strategic flexibility and the moderating role of human resource flexibility

PurposeThe dynamic capabilities theory indicates that uncertain environments necessitate firms’ dynamic capability. This study aims to examine how dynamic capability can be shaped based on cooperative goal interdependence with supply chain partners by focusing on the mediating role of strategic flexibility and the moderating role of human resource flexibility.Design/methodology/approachQuestionnaire surveys were administered to firm presidents, chief executive officers, chief human resources officers (CHOs) and other senior managers at 300 firms located in China. The data collection process was carried out in one wave with multiple sources. Of the firms contacted, the sample in this study consisted of 233 matched “CHO-other top manager” dyads. Structural equation modeling and the bias-corrected bootstrap method were used to test the proposed causal relationships, moderation model, mediation model and moderated mediation model.FindingsCooperative goal interdependence with both upstream companies and downstream companies was positively related to dynamic capability and strategic flexibility mediated these main effects. Moreover, human resource flexibility moderated the positive direct relationship between strategic flexibility and dynamic capability and the indirect relationships among cooperative goals, strategic flexibility and dynamic capability such that these relationships in companies with high human resource flexibility were stronger than these relationships in companies with low human resource flexibility.Originality/valueThe findings contribute to the literature on dynamic capability by providing empirical evidence regarding the relationships among cooperative goals, strategic flexibility, human resource flexibility and dynamic capability, which enriches the theory of cooperation and competition and suggests a new path to promote dynamic capability.

Does cooperative goal interdependence facilitate market orientation? A top management’s firm–customer perspective in China

ABSTRACT Market orientation concerns customer satisfaction in essence. Empirical studies have indicated that market orientation contributes to a firm’s superior performance, sustainable competitiveness, and organizational success. Drawing on theory of cooperation and competition, this study unravels the relationship between firm-customer goal interdependence and market orientation. Results of our study with a sample of 120 entrepreneurial firms recruited in China demonstrate that developing cooperative, but not competitive or independent, goals with customers is effective for facilitating collaboration among internal departments, which ultimately strengthens the market orientation of firms. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Loaded with knowledge, yet green with envy: leader–member exchange comparison and coworkers-directed knowledge hiding behavior

PurposeThis study aims to explore an interpersonal predictor of coworkers-directed knowledge hiding behavior – the leader–member exchange social comparison (LMXSC). This study integrates leader–member exchange literature with social comparison theory to hypothesize that an individual’s upward LMXSC is positively correlated with coworkers-directed knowledge hiding and that an individual’s feelings of envy are mediated by the relationship between upward LMXSC and coworkers-directed knowledge hiding behavior. Also, this study proposes two-way and three-way interaction patterns of goal interdependence, which can influence LMXSC–envy relationships.Design/methodology/approachTwo independent studies are conducted to test the hypothesized relationships. In Study 1, the authors collected multi-wave data from a large public sector university in China (N = 1,131). The authors then replicated the Study 1 findings by collecting multi-source and multi-wave data from a telecom company based in China (n = 379).FindingsThe authors found support across both studies for the idea that upward LMXSC is a possible interpersonal predictor of coworkers-directed knowledge hiding behavior. More specifically, it was found that feelings of envy ensue from upward LMXSC, resulting in further coworkers-directed knowledge hiding behavior. Further, this study shows that the influence of upward LMXSC on knowledge hiding behavior via feelings of envy was weaker (stronger) when employees have high (low) cooperative goal interdependence with coworkers, respectively, and when employees have low (high) competitive goal interdependence with the coworkers, respectively.Originality/valueThis study extends current knowledge management literature by introducing LMXSC as an interpersonal predictor of coworkers-directed knowledge hiding behavior. This will help practitioners to curb such counterproductive behavior.

An empirical study of the impact of goal orientation on individual ambidexterity – moderating roles of goal interdependence and constructive controversy

PurposeAmbidexterity is the source of organizational sustainable development and long-term success. However, understanding the role of individual ambidexterity in organizations remains underdeveloped. Recently, scholars have increasingly emphasized the importance of individual ambidexterity, calling for more research on the topic. This study aims to explore the factors influencing individual ambidexterity. It proposed that goal orientation would be related to individual ambidexterity, and perceived cooperative goal interdependence and constructive controversy would play moderating roles in this relationship.Design/methodology/approachThe paper opted for a survey study. Questionnaires were distributed to enterprise managers from a part-time MBA program at a university located in Beijing, China. They were also asked to bring copies to their colleagues, so they could fill them out. The authors obtained 229 valid questionnaires and used hierarchical regression analysis to test the relationships.FindingsThe results revealed that both learning goal orientation and performance goal orientation were significantly and positively related to individual ambidexterity. Perceived cooperative goal interdependence and constructive controversy positively moderated the relationship between learning goal orientation/ performance goal orientation and individual ambidexterity.Practical implicationsThe paper provides beneficial suggestions for both managers and employees. It offers a reference for managers regarding how to promote employee ambidexterity. It also provides suggestions for employee career development.Originality/valueThe paper explored the factors influencing ambidextrous activities at the individual level, a very scare approach in extant studies. It also constructed a systematic process mechanism of individual ambidexterity, integrating both internal and external factors.

Accountability breeds response-ability

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the link between perceived subordinate performance and abusive supervision. From the perspective of moral exclusion theory, the authors examine cooperative goal interdependence and competitive goal interdependence as key boundary conditions to hypothesize and demonstrate the direct negative relationship between low-performing subordinates and abusive supervision. Within the moral exclusion framework, supervisors may strategically abuse low performers when cooperative goal interdependence is high, or competitive goal interdependence is low. Moreover, this study explores the impact of abusive supervision on subordinate’s objective performance.Design/methodology/approachThis research employs two independent studies to examine the antecedents and consequences of abusive supervision based on respondents from a Fortune 500 company located in Anhui province of People’s Republic of China (PRC). Study 1 uses a time lagged, single source survey while Study 2 employs multi-source, multi-wave data. The results support the integrated model.FindingsAcross the two studies, the results showed that the direct negative relationship between perceived subordinate performance and abusive supervision was found to be stronger when cooperative goal interdependence was high and when competitive goal interdependence was low. Study 2 also revealed the negative impact of abusive supervision on subordinate’s objective performance and that the conditional indirect effect of subordinate’s perceived performance on objective performance via abusive supervision was contingent on the extent of cooperative and competitive goal interdependence.Originality/valueThe results clearly demonstrate that supervisors are likely to turn to abusive supervision in response to poor performing subordinates but that the tendency to use abuse as an instrumental strategy for improving subordinate performance is dependent on the nature of goal interdependence between the supervisor and subordinates’ goals. The research also shows that although supervisors may turn to abusive supervision under certain goal interdependence conditions, it is not an effective strategy for actually improving subordinate objective performance. In fact, it has the opposite effect.

Goal interdependence, subgroup formation, and conflict in Teams

This research investigates subgroup formation as an important mediator in the goal interdependence-intragroup conflict linkage. Specifically, it proposes that subgroup formation will mediate the relationship between cooperative goal interdependence and intragroup conflict, but not for competitive goal interdependence and intragroup conflict. Further, competitive goal interdependence is posited to have direct, positive effects on intragroup conflict. Using structural equation modeling analyses with 79 student project teams, the findings revealed that subgroup formation fully mediated the relationship between cooperative goal interdependence and task and process conflict, but only partially mediated the relationship between cooperative goal interdependence and relationship conflict. As predicted, subgroup formation did not mediate the relationship between competitive goal interdependence and intragroup conflict; however, competitive goal interdependence was negatively, rather than positively, related to intragroup conflict.

Breaking (or making) the silence: How goal interdependence and social skill predict being ostracized

Although ostracism can have devastating consequences for employees and organizations, our understanding of what contributes to ostracism is notably limited. Drawing on and extending goal interdependence theory, we integrate the goal interdependence and social skill literatures to predict when individuals are likely to be ostracized. Across two studies we found that cooperative goal interdependence reduced, while competitive goal interdependence facilitated, being ostracized; social skill strengthened the negative impact of cooperative goal interdependence on ostracism and neutralized the positive impact of competitive goal interdependence on ostracism. In a third longitudinal study, we found that relationship conflict mediated the interactive effect of goal interdependence and social skill on being ostracized. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Beyond Risk-Taking

In addition to risk-taking behavior, we propose that psychological safety also promotes prosocial behavior through cooperative goal interdependence. To differentiate these two types of effects, we contrasted the moderating effects of two interpersonal harmony motives. A survey in China supported the indirect effect of psychological safety on helping behavior through cooperative goal interdependence. This mediated relationship was moderated by harmony enhancement such that the mediated effect of psychological safety was weaker when harmony enhancement was high. Psychological safety was positively related to innovative behavior, and this relationship was moderated by disintegration avoidance such that it was weaker when disintegration avoidance was high. These results shed light on the different effects of psychological safety and their underlying mechanisms.

Swim or Sink Together

This article investigates collective team identification and team member alignment (i.e., the existence of short- and long-term team goals and team-based reward structures) as moderators of the association between task and relationship conflicts. Being indicators of cooperative goal interdependence in teams, both moderators are hypothesized to mitigate the positive association between the two conflict types. Findings from 88 development teams confirm the moderating effect for collective team identification, but not for team member alignment. Moreover, the moderating role of collective team identification is found to be dependent on the level of task conflict: It is more effective in decoupling task and relationship conflicts at medium as compared with high or low levels of task conflict.

Socialization tactics: Antecedents for goal interdependence and newcomer adjustment and retention

This study argues that Deutsch's theory of goal interdependence is useful to examine the dynamics of serial and investiture tactics on newcomer adjustment and retention in work team contexts. Structural equation results of interviews of specific incidents collected from one hundred and two newcomers support the hypothesized model that serial and investiture tactics used by teams promote cooperative goal interdependence and weaken competitive goal interdependence and independent goal relationship between newcomers and their teams. Cooperative goals were also found to promote positive attitudes and strong co-worker relationships whereas competitive and independent goals resulted in intentions to quit and low levels of organizational commitment and job satisfaction.

Transactive memory system links work team characteristics and performance.

Teamwork and coordination of expertise among team members with different backgrounds are increasingly recognized as important for team effectiveness. Recently, researchers have examined how team members rely on transactive memory system (TMS; D. M. Wegner, 1987) to share their distributed knowledge and expertise. To establish the ecological validity and generality of TMS research findings, this study sampled 104 work teams from a variety of organizational settings in China and examined the relationships between team characteristics, TMS, and team performance. The results suggest that task interdependence, cooperative goal interdependence, and support for innovation are positively related to work teams' TMS and that TMS is related to team performance; moreover, structural equation analysis indicates that TMS mediates the team characteristics-performance links. Findings have implications both for team leaders to manage their work teams effectively and for team members to improve their team performance.

Effects of External and Internal Competition on Group Problem Solving Processes and Outcomes

Consistent with Deutsch (1949), this study on group problem solving finds a positive relationship between intergroup competition and intragroup cooperative goal interdependence. Consistent with Tjosvold (1998), this study finds a positive relationship between cooperative goal interdependence and constructive controversy, a negative relationship between intragroup competition (competitive goal interdependence) and constructive controversy, and a positive relationship between intragroup competition and destructive controversy. However, contrary to predictions based on Tjosvold (1998), constructive controversy was negatively related to quality of ideas, whereas destructive controversy was positively related to this outcome measure. Consistent with Tjosvold (1998), constructive controversy was positively related to the outcome measures quantity of ideas and future group commitment. As far as the above results are inconsistent with predictions, this can be explained by the finding that destructive controversy appears to consist of two components. One component can be described as 'rigidly adhering to one's own position' and the other one as 'severely criticizing the position of other group members'. A good fitting causal model shows that only the first component is significantly and positively related to quality of ideas, and that only the second component is significantly and negatively related to future group commitment.