Catherine G. Collins

Taking Stock: Integrating and Differentiating Multiple Proactive Behaviors

The authors aimed to clarify the similarities, differences, and interrelationships among multiple types of proactive behavior. Factor analyses of managers’ self-ratings (N = 622) showed concepts were distinct from each other but related via a higher-order structure. Three higher-order proactive behavior categories were identified—proactive work behavior, proactive strategic behavior, and proactive person-environment fit behavior—each corresponding to behaviors aimed at bringing about change in the internal organization (e.g., voice), the fit between the organization and its environment (e.g., issue selling), and the fit between the individual and the organization (e.g., feedback seeking), respectively. Further analyses on a subsample (n = 319) showed similarities and differences in the antecedents of these behaviors.

Understanding heterogeneity in adaptation to retirement: a growth mixture modeling approach.

Previous research has shown that as people transition to retirement they display heterogeneous growth in outcomes. Typically three subgroups are observed, in which people either increase, decrease, or maintain their scores over time. Extending this research, this study investigates whether subgroups exist independent of the retirement event and compares growth in two outcome measures–retirement adjustment and life satisfaction. Survey data were collected from 360 retirees across three time points. For life satisfaction, growth mixture modeling identified three distinctly growing subgroups. The majority maintained their scores over time, and two smaller groups showed increases and decreases in life satisfaction over time. No subgroups were identified for retirement adjustment. Implications of these results are discussed and suggestions are made for future research.

Unpacking team dynamics with growth modeling An approach to test, refine, and integrate theory

In this paper we advocate the use of growth modeling as an approach that is particularly useful for testing and refining existing theory on team dynamics, as well as integrating different theoretical perspectives. Quantitative studies that test team theories have typically included only one or two time points, between-team research designs, and hierarchical regression-based statistical analyses. Such an approach enables exploration of antecedents to explain why some teams are more effective than others at specified points in the team task or lifespan. In contrast, using three or more time points of data and applying growth modeling statistical analyses is atypical, but can allow for informative investigations of team trajectories, or patterns of change within teams. We argue that this approach can facilitate fruitful insights about team dynamics, and we provide guidelines for researchers as to how to investigate such team dynamics using growth modeling.

Confidence Matters: Self-efficacy Moderates the Credit that Supervisors Give to Adaptive and Proactive Role Behaviours

In complex and uncertain work environments, employees need to not only be proficient in carrying out their core duties, but also to be adaptive (able to cope and respond to unpredictable events) and proactive (able to anticipate the situation and act in a self-directed way) in their work roles. In this study we investigate the extent to which supervisors actually give credit to adaptive and proactive role behaviours when they judge employees’ overall job performance. Drawing on attribution theory, we propose that the extent to which these role behaviours are valued by supervisors will be enhanced by employees’ confidence for relevant role behaviours. Support for these ideas is provided using data from junior doctors and their supervisors in a hospital emergency department. Adaptive role behaviours positively influenced supervisors’ judgements of overall job performance. This relationship was stronger for employees with high self-efficacy for achieving outcomes. Engaging in proactive role behaviours while also lacking role-breadth self-efficacy resulted in supervisors’ giving employees less credit for their proactive role behaviours. Findings support the argument that employees’ self-efficacy for specific role behaviours provides attributional cues about capability that modify how adaptive and proactive role behaviours are interpreted and valued.

Team Performance Archetypes: Toward a New Conceptualization of Team Performance Over Time

We examine the concept of team performance and propose a framework to understand patterns of change over time. Following a literature review on team performance (focusing on empirical articles published between 2007 and 2017) and drawing on Greek and Roman mythology, we identify five team performance trajectories: “Jupiter” (consistently high performing), “Neptune” (relatively steady, average performance), “Pluto” (low performing), “Icarus” (initially high performing, with a downward spiral), and “Odysseus” (initially low to midrange performing, with an upward spiral), which we refer to as “team performance archetypes.” We discuss how they might be used in conjunction with growth modeling methodology to help facilitate theory building and data collection/analysis with respect to team performance. In addition, we discuss the future research implications associated with using the archetypes to help conceptualize patterns of team performance over time.

'Should I Stay Or Should I Go?' Context Moderates Whether Thriving Employees Turnover

Turnover is a huge cost to organizations. Both individual attributes such as job attitudes, as well as contextual aspects like organizational climate are important for understanding turnover. However, little research explores the synergistic impact of these antecedents; this is important theoretically since the moderating role of context has demonstrated to reverse relationships. Drawing on a social cognitive approach to self-regulation, we argue that the relationship between the personal attribute of thriving (a psychological state consisting of the dual combination of vitality and learning) and behavioral outcome of voluntary turnover is expected to be either positive or negative depending on whether the context provides employees with knowledge implementation opportunities. Hypotheses were supported with a longitudinal research design over six months incorporating archival turnover data, and 359 participants. Thriving employees were more likely to turnover when knowledge implementation opportunities we...