Differential moderating effects of collectivistic and power distance orientations on the effectiveness of work motivators

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the moderating effects of power distance and collectivistic orientations on the effectiveness of intrinsic, extrinsic and reciprocal motivators in promoting employees’ willingness to cooperate for organizational interest. An integrated theoretical framework which incorporated cultural influence on need priority and on legitimacy of social exchange was established to develop the hypotheses. Design/methodology/approach This study used the methodology of information-integration theory to test the research hypotheses. Findings This study found that power distance orientation enhanced the effectiveness of extrinsic motivator but mitigated that of intrinsic motivator, and was irrelevant to that of reciprocal motivator. In contrast, collectivistic orientation mitigated the effectiveness of extrinsic motivator but enhanced that of reciprocal motivator, and was irrelevant to that of intrinsic motivator. Practical implications Managers may use reciprocal motivators for employees with high collectivism in order to increase their willingness to cooperate for the interest of the organization. Meanwhile, extrinsic motivators may be utilized for employees with high power distance but may not be as effective for those with low power distance. However, managers should not expect intrinsic motivators to be as attractive to those with high power distance as to those with low power distance. Originality/value By integrating multiple cultural orientations and multiple work motivators in one study, this research clarified the differential moderating effects of power distance and collectivistic orientations on the effectiveness of intrinsic, extrinsic and reciprocal motivators in promoting employees’ willingness to cooperate. Potential confounding problems in prior studies derived from the correlation between cultural values and coexistence of multiple motivators were discussed.

Taking the Pandemic by Its Horns: Using Work-Related Task Conflict to Transform Perceived Pandemic Threats Into Creativity

“…They are unlikely to respond to pandemic threats by trying to bring different viewpoints and solutions into the open. Their subsequent creativity then tends to be lower (Jehn & Bendersky, 2003;Yang, 2019). Taken together, these results offer valuable insights into how and when employees' preoccupations with the COVID-19 pandemic and its impacts might enhance their work behaviors.…”

“…They are unlikely to respond to pandemic threats by trying to bring different viewpoints and solutions into the open. Their subsequent creativity then tends to be lower ( Jehn & Bendersky, 2003 ; Yang, 2019 ).…”

“…It inspires them to engage with other organizational members and compare ideas about how to move forward and protect the shared organization. A collectivistic orientation could motivate employees to share pertinent opinions, even if it risks raising task conflict, because their ultimate goal is to help the overall collective reduce work-related hardships caused by the pandemic (Lofquist & Matthiesen, 2018;Yang, 2019). By testing whether a collectivistic orientation invigorates the link between perceived pandemic threats and work-related task conflict, we pinpoint a relevant, personal boundary condition that can stimulate productive behaviors by collectivistic employees, even when a life-threatening virus infuses significant uncertainty in their work setting (Hite & McDonald, 2020).…”

How Does Service Climate Influence Hotel Employees’ Brand Citizenship Behavior? A Social Exchange and Social Identity Perspective

“…For example, Farh et al (2007) and Newman and Butler (2014) found evidence that the impact of perceived organizational support on employee outcomes is stronger for people scoring low in power distance. Similarly, Yang (2020) found that the effectiveness of intrinsic motivators on employees' willingness to cooperate is stronger for employees who are low in power distance. We therefore expect that the influence of perceived service climate on employee BCB will be stronger for those scores low in power distance orientation.…”

How abusive supervision ultimately might enhance performance ratings among silent, neurotic employees

“…Yet the reported post hoc analytical results also indicate the clear need for multicountry comparisons that explicitly investigate the effects of pertinent cultural features, such as power distance or collectivism, in terms of (1) how employees react to adverse leadership situations and (2) how relevant personality traits inform these reactions. In a related vein, it would be interesting to examine the roles of corresponding individual values in this process, such as employees' own power distance and collective orientations (Yang, 2019).…”