Feeling possessive, performing well? Effects of job-based psychological ownership on territoriality, information exchange, and job performance.

Abstract

Job-based psychological ownership arises when workers develop personal feelings of possession over various aspects of a job. Drawing on conservation of resources and regulatory focus theory, the current research adopts a resource-based perspective to suggest a double-edged effect on job performance, mediated by three forms of territoriality (marking, defending, expanding) and information exchange and moderated by individual regulatory focus. With a multistep process in Study 1, the authors develop and validate a territorial expanding scale. Among 358 employee-supervisor dyads, Study 2 tests the proposed model; jobbased psychological ownership prompts employees to engage in territorial marking, defending, and expanding. Territorial defending correlates negatively with information exchange, territorial expanding is positively related to it, and territorial marking has no relationship with information exchange. Information exchange is positively related to job performance. Job-based psychological ownership impedes job performance through increased territorial defending and reduced information exchange, especially among employees with a prevention focus. It enhances job performance through increased territorial expanding and increased information exchange, particularly if employees have a high promotion focus. These findings have notable implications for research and practice.

Why and How Manager Promotive and Preventive Psychological Ownership Influence Voice Endorsement

“…voice) in order to better fulfil their responsibilities (Chen et al. , 2023). As such, we believe that exploring how and when managers’ job‐based PO influences managerial reactions to voice could be a meaningful topic for future research.…”

“…In addition, given that a critical part of the job or role of group managers is to effectively manage bottom-up creativity and make better decisions for the group (Ford and Gioia, 2000;Meindl, 1995), managers who have a higher sense of ownership of their job may tend to be more responsive to employees' inputs (i.e. voice) in order to better fulfil their responsibilities (Chen et al, 2023). As such, we believe that exploring how and when managers' job-based PO influences managerial reactions to voice could be a meaningful topic for future research.…”

Too sleepy to be innovative? Ethical leadership and employee service innovation behavior: A dual-path model moderated by sleep quality

“…Research has shown several positive outcomes of psychological ownership in organizations, including job performance (Chen et al, 2023), commitment (Mustafa et al, 2021b), voice (Akcin et al, 2018), and organizational citizenship behavior (Mustafa et al, 2015). Other studies have highlighted the predictors of psychological ownership, such as justice perceptions (Hameed et al, 2019), organizational support (Curcuruto and Griffin, 2018), and organizational culture and climate (Mayhew et al, 2007).…”

Reviewing Literature and Exploring Concept of Leadership for Learning to Organizational Values – HR Insights From Hospitality and Retail Industries in Hong Kong

“…Also, employees who desired to extend their sphere of influence, which should be identified by managers with supports. For instance, supervisors may encourage their subordinates to consider new work areas for knowledge development and performance, while also assisting them in completing tasks given (Chen et al, 2023). Both individual and organizational results should be addressed, by matching skillsets with upcoming organizational needs through the learning process.…”