This study aims to estimate whether person-environment fit(P-E fit) draws innovative work behavior of company employees, and identify whether psychological empowerment serves as the medium between P-E fit and innovative work behavior. We have investig...
This study aims to estimate whether person-environment fit(P-E fit) draws innovative work behavior of company employees, and identify whether psychological empowerment serves as the medium between P-E fit and innovative work behavior. We have investigated the influencing relationship among variables under the hypothesis that higher P-E fit is, more innovative work behavior appears. A survey has been performed to verify the hypothesis actually with 8 questions for P-E fit measure which were developed by Saks and Ashforth(2002) and adapted and made use by Younhee Roh and Jae-yoon Chang(2005); 12 questions for psychological empowerment measure developed by Spreitzer(1995) and adapted and made use by Young-sook, Shin(2007); 6 questions for innovative work behavior measurement developed by Scott and Bruce(1994) and adapted and made use by Young-sook, Shin(2007).
The online, offline survey was performed targeting company employees from April 14th to 30th, 2014. While a convenience sampling was applied, we also made the best use of stratified sampling in order to reflect various demographic characters such as gender, age, rank, years of service, etc., preventing these characters from concentrating to a specific class. Faithful 392 respondents were selected out of 403. SPSS 20.0 was utilized for analyzing the collected data, Cronbach's α value was calculated to determine the reliability of the questionnaires, and the correlation among variables was analyzed. Multiple regression analysis and 3-step analysis of the mediating effect were applied to verify the hypothesis, and t-test and one-way analysis of variance were performed to determine the differences by demographic characteristics. Below are the results.
According to this study, P-E fit has a positive influence both on psychological empowerment and innovative work behavior, and psychological empowerment also has a positive effect on innovative work behavior. It means higher P-E fit can encourage employees’ motivation toward their work, and innovative work behavior can be created while the employees adapt themselves to new circumstance. While P-E fit, an independent variable, effects on innovative work behavior, a dependent variable, only psychological empowerment has a positive effect on innovative work behavior when it is put as a mediator variable: It shows psychological empowerment serves as a full mediation between P-E fit and innovative work behavior.
When it comes to P-E fit’s effects on sub-factors of psychological empowerment and innovative work behavior, only person-job fit(P-J fit) has a positive effect on innovative work behavior and sub-factors of psychological empowerment have mediating effect between P-J fit and innovative work behavior only. It proves that P-J fit - because a person perceives it in pursuit of his or her duties - is suitable as antecedents of psychological empowerment that directly connected to the degree of merit toward the duties or self-confidence in the performance of his or her duties.
This study may be used as useful basic materials for the management, HR directors or company educators to draw a core value that guides employees’ innovative work behavior and improve organizational culture and to develop an employee training program that cultivate employees’ psychological empowerment. I hope this study serves as a cornerstone of follow-up studies which contribute to the development of societies and companies.