Incentive Systems and Proactive Work Behavior: The Moderating Effects of Task Uncertainty

Lan GUO; On Wing Bernard WONG; Gladie LUI

Abstract

Two important features of incentive systems are the degree to which performance evaluation is based on behaviors (vs. outcomes) and the magnitude of incentive intensity. We examine how these two features influence employees’ proactive work behavior (PWB). We propose that the two features each interacts with task uncertainty (TU) to influence employees’ autonomous motivation, which in turn impacts employee PWB.

We conducted a survey among 309 employees from various companies in Hong Kong. Multi-group Structural Equation Modeling analyses results suggest that: (1) behavior- (vs. outcome-) based performance evaluation had a positive effect on autonomous motivation and PWB when TU level was high, but a negative effect when TU level was low; (2) incentive intensity had a greater positive effect on autonomous motivation when TU level was high than when it was low; and (3) employees’ autonomous motivation had a positive effect on PWB.

Original language	English
Publication status	Published - 3 Aug 2010
Event	2010 American Accounting Association Annual Meeting - United States, San Francisco, United States Duration: 31 Jul 2010 → 4 Aug 2010 http://www2.aaahq.org/AM2010/menu.cfm

Conference

Conference	2010 American Accounting Association Annual Meeting
Country/Territory	United States
City	San Francisco
Period	31/07/10 → 4/08/10
Other	American Accounting Association
Internet address	http://www2.aaahq.org/AM2010/menu.cfm

Cite this

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title = "Incentive Systems and Proactive Work Behavior: The Moderating Effects of Task Uncertainty",

abstract = "Two important features of incentive systems are the degree to which performance evaluation is based on behaviors (vs. outcomes) and the magnitude of incentive intensity. We examine how these two features influence employees{\textquoteright} proactive work behavior (PWB). We propose that the two features each interacts with task uncertainty (TU) to influence employees{\textquoteright} autonomous motivation, which in turn impacts employee PWB.We conducted a survey among 309 employees from various companies in Hong Kong. Multi-group Structural Equation Modeling analyses results suggest that: (1) behavior- (vs. outcome-) based performance evaluation had a positive effect on autonomous motivation and PWB when TU level was high, but a negative effect when TU level was low; (2) incentive intensity had a greater positive effect on autonomous motivation when TU level was high than when it was low; and (3) employees{\textquoteright} autonomous motivation had a positive effect on PWB.",

author = "Lan GUO and WONG, {On Wing Bernard} and Gladie LUI",

year = "2010",

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language = "English",

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T1 - Incentive Systems and Proactive Work Behavior: The Moderating Effects of Task Uncertainty

AU - GUO, Lan

AU - WONG, On Wing Bernard

AU - LUI, Gladie

PY - 2010/8/3

Y1 - 2010/8/3

N2 - Two important features of incentive systems are the degree to which performance evaluation is based on behaviors (vs. outcomes) and the magnitude of incentive intensity. We examine how these two features influence employees’ proactive work behavior (PWB). We propose that the two features each interacts with task uncertainty (TU) to influence employees’ autonomous motivation, which in turn impacts employee PWB.We conducted a survey among 309 employees from various companies in Hong Kong. Multi-group Structural Equation Modeling analyses results suggest that: (1) behavior- (vs. outcome-) based performance evaluation had a positive effect on autonomous motivation and PWB when TU level was high, but a negative effect when TU level was low; (2) incentive intensity had a greater positive effect on autonomous motivation when TU level was high than when it was low; and (3) employees’ autonomous motivation had a positive effect on PWB.

AB - Two important features of incentive systems are the degree to which performance evaluation is based on behaviors (vs. outcomes) and the magnitude of incentive intensity. We examine how these two features influence employees’ proactive work behavior (PWB). We propose that the two features each interacts with task uncertainty (TU) to influence employees’ autonomous motivation, which in turn impacts employee PWB.We conducted a survey among 309 employees from various companies in Hong Kong. Multi-group Structural Equation Modeling analyses results suggest that: (1) behavior- (vs. outcome-) based performance evaluation had a positive effect on autonomous motivation and PWB when TU level was high, but a negative effect when TU level was low; (2) incentive intensity had a greater positive effect on autonomous motivation when TU level was high than when it was low; and (3) employees’ autonomous motivation had a positive effect on PWB.

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M3 - Abstract

T2 - 2010 American Accounting Association Annual Meeting

Y2 - 31 July 2010 through 4 August 2010

ER -

Incentive Systems and Proactive Work Behavior: The Moderating Effects of Task Uncertainty

Abstract

Conference

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