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Autonomy's impact on newcomer proactive behaviour and socialization: A needs–supplies fit perspective
Author(s) -
Yu Kang Yang T.,
Davis Hunter M.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal of occupational and organizational psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.257
H-Index - 114
eISSN - 2044-8325
pISSN - 0963-1798
DOI - 10.1111/joop.12116
Subject(s) - autonomy , psychology , socialization , perspective (graphical) , social psychology , framing (construction) , political science , computer science , structural engineering , artificial intelligence , law , engineering
This study investigates newcomer proactive behaviour through the lens of person–environment ( PE ) fit theory. Two competing theories of autonomy‐based needs–supplies ( NS ) fit were hypothesized to impact both newcomer proactive behaviours and socialization outcomes. Results from two waves of data collected from organizational newcomers indicate support for a self‐regulatory form of relationship, where individuals engaged in different types of proactive behaviours most often when organizational supplies for autonomy did not match their personal needs. Specific types of proactive behaviours including feedback seeking, positive framing, general socializing, networking, and information seeking also mediated the impact of NS misfit onto certain socialization outcomes. Much can still be learnt about PE fit and proactive behaviours through further integration of ideas from both fields of research. Practitioner points Employers need to understand which types of proactive behaviours to encourage in newcomers in order for them to become active contributors in their new organizational settings. Employers looking to manage newcomer proactive behaviours through autonomy need to carefully manage the amount of autonomy provided relative to individual needs for autonomy.