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Organizational test of goal linkage theory
Author(s) -
Tjosvold Dean
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
journal of organizational behavior
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.938
H-Index - 177
eISSN - 1099-1379
pISSN - 0894-3796
DOI - 10.1002/job.4030070202
Subject(s) - linkage (software) , psychology , social psychology , feeling , competition (biology) , productivity , causal model , test (biology) , economics , gene , medicine , biochemistry , chemistry , pathology , ecology , paleontology , macroeconomics , biology
Deutsch's theory of cooperation and competition or goal linkage has been developed by considerable experimental research, but is little used to study interdependence in organizations. Organizational members were interviewed in depth on a specific interaction and completed a questionnaire to describe their relationships with their co‐workers and supervisors. Positive linkage, in contrast to negative linkage, was related to effective negotiations and the development of feelings of success and satisfaction. Positive linkage compared to negative linkage was also found to stengthen work relationshps and facilitate productivity. Independent linkage had dynamics similar to negative linkage, but was positively related to productivity. Questionnaire results also support the theory of goal linkage. Goal linkage, dynamics, and outcomes appear to be self‐sealing and mutually causal. Results suggest that goal linkage theory has considerable potential to describe and influence actual organizational work relationships.