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Locus of control and well-being at work: How generalizable are Western findings?
Abstract
Managers from 24 geopohtical entities provided data on work locus of control, job satisfaction, psychological strain, physical strain, and individualism/collectivism. The hypothesis that the salutary effects of perceived control on well-being are universal was supported hecause relations of work locus of control with well-heing at work were similar in almost all the sampled areas. Furthermore, the individualism/collectivism level of each sample did not moderate the magnitude of correlations of work locus of control with measures of well-being. Findings indicate that control beliefs contribute to well-being universally, hut we suggest that how control is manifested can still differ.
... These leadership styles have been studied extensively in western cultureparticularly in the USA. However, the applicability and generalizability of the findings across national borders is a fundamental problem since most of the data is obtained from developed countries (Spector et al, 2002;Sik Cho & Jung, 2014). ...
This research was a cross-cultural study where we explored the impact of ethical leadership on employee job performance. We evaluate the direct relationship and the indirect relationship whereby employee motivation was used as a mediating construct. The aim was to determine if group differences existed between the two groups of the study: US participants and Nigerian participants. Three research questions guided this study: Is there a direct relationship between ethical leadership and employee job performance? What impact does employee motivation have on the relationship between ethical leadership and employee job performance? Does the relationship differ across cultural boundaries? Path analysis and multi-group analysis were used to test the hypotheses. Our results showed that there was a statistically significant direct relationship between ethical leadership and employee job performance for the combined group and the Nigerian group. However, the direct relationship was not significant for the US group. Further, the results showed that employee motivation mediated the relationship between ethical leadership and employee job performance for the combined group, the US group, and the Nigerian group. Our results were consistent with the results from other researchers who showed that cultural norms have a significant impact on employee job performance, and the type of leadership style implemented that may promote high employee job performance with one culture may have negative impact with another.
... Interestingly, this theorizing is similar to the organizational behavior concept "locus of control," which distinguishes between internal and external locus of control (Spector et al., 2002). People with an internal locus of control believe that they can determine and control their own life. ...
When the globalization of business begun, Hofstede introduced a cross-cultural framework based on four dimensions: 1) Individualism-collectivism, 2) power distance, 3) uncertainty avoidance, and 4) masculinity-femininity. Hofstede’s research was the starting point for cultural value research in connection with management and workplace topics. To expand Hofstede’s research, numerous scholars introduced new cross-cultural frameworks. The most famous ones are Schwartz’s Value Survey, Trompenaars’ Model of Cultural Differences, Maznevski’s Cultural Orientations Framework, and the GLOBE framework. All these scholars claimed that their frameworks better capture the phenomenon of culture in the workplace, business, or society. However, Hofstede did not agree with this statement and rather noted the similarities with his framework. To solve these contradicting statements, I first review Hofstede’s framework, followed by a detailed review of the new cross-cultural frameworks. This review creates the basis for a comparison between Hofstede’s framework and the new frameworks. I identify an overlap between Hofstede’s framework and the new frameworks. Nevertheless, I also identify new cultural phenomena and dimensions that were not captured by Hofstede’s initial framework. Finally, I derive from the review recommendations for future research and practice.
... Kirkman, Lowe, and Gibson (2006) reviewed 180 studies published in 40 business and psychology journals and two international annual volumes between 1980 and 2002 in order to consolidate what is empirically verifiable about Hofstede's cultural values framework. A variety of samples were utilized and classified by three levels of analysis, whether individual, group/organisational, or country, some of which included: change management (Eby, Adams, Russell, & Gaby, 2000); conflict management (Oeztzel, 1998;Smith, Dugan, Peterson, & Leung, 1998); decision-making (Steensma, Marino, & Weaver, 2000); human resource management HRM (Earley, Gibson, & Chen, 1999;Ryan, McFarland, Baron, & Page, 1999); leadership (Chan & Drasgow, 2001;Pillai & Meindl, 1998;House et al., 1999); work-related attitudes (Thomas & Au, 2002;Spector et al., 2002); entrepreneurship (Morris, Davis, & Allen, 1994;Thomas & Mueller, 2000); and social networks (Manev & Stevenson, 2001). Although Hofstede's culture theory has been used as a theoretical framework for a variety of studies in a multitude of countries, to date no research has been published on Hofstede's culture theory being utilized as a basis for research in sport leadership development within the Middle East. ...
Based on the gender ratios in the leadership positions of general sport organisation in Syria, this article aims to explore the reasons behind the low level of women in sport leadership positions. Leadership training used in the general sport organisation in Syria for high-skilled leaders serves to understand the how individual leaders develop in sport bodies, but it fails to explain the reasons for the low level of women in senior sport administrative positions. In this study, I attempt to analyze the cultural aspects to find out: the nature of challenges surrounding women's' career development; and how Syrian women learn and develop within the institutional-cultural context of Syria. Data were collected by semi-structured interviews with ten Syrian women leaders: eight from sports governing bodies, one from the National Olympic Committee, and one from the high executive committee. Implications for addressing the challenges for the low level of women in top management in Syrian sport are outlined.Keywords: national culture, leadership, development, Syrian women, and sport.
... In this vein, non-graduate jobs and careers (compared to graduate jobs and careers) often offer lower control which is crucial to preserve work-related well-being [17]. Therefore, a high internal control belief might be especially helpful in employees without academic degrees as it can serve as a compensatory personal resource for a lack of external control [64]. That being said, our results still suggest that WLOC is beneficial for employees across both levels of education, although the magnitude of this effect was different. ...
In this study, we examine the relationships between proactive personality, work locus of control, and vocational satisfaction. Moreover, we argue that these relationships vary depending on employees’ levels of education (i.e., employees with academic degrees versus without academic degrees). Drawing on Trait Activation Theory, we expected more pronounced relationships of proactive personality and work locus of control with vocational satisfaction for employees with academic degrees. We collected data of N = 2068 employees with a broad range of occupational backgrounds to test our assumptions. A partial disaggregation model revealed that both proactive personality and work locus of control were positively related to vocational satisfaction and that these relationships differed depending on the level of education. Regarding the relationship between proactive personality and vocational satisfaction, we only found evidence among employees with academic degrees. Although work locus of control and vocational satisfaction were significantly related among both groups of employees, the relationship was even more pronounced among employees without academic degrees. Consequently, our results underline the importance of taking inter-individual differences, such as the level of education, into consideration when looking at the effects of proactive personality and work locus of control on work-related well-being.
... For example, a study covering 24 countries reveals that job satisfaction and psychological well-being are associated with locus of control (Spector et al., 2002). Ng et al. (2006) indicate that internal locus of control is positively associated with job/workplace satisfaction, motivation, expectations, performance, and problemoriented coping strategies and negatively associated with burnout, job stress, and emotion-oriented coping strategy. ...
Workplace bullying in higher education is under researched, although academics are increasingly reported as a suffering group. Based on the explanation power of the interaction between people and the environment in the psychological field, this paper analyzes the moderation effect of social support in the relationship between external work locus of control (E-WLOC) and workplace bullying in Turkey's higher education context. Data were collected through questionnaires. It is found that people with an E-WLOC are more exposed to bullying if they get less social support.
... LOCI is the measure of what we perceive ourselves to control in our lives. It is considered a universal component and vital element of well-being, and it has positive relations with psychological well-being (Spector et al. 2002;Sharma and Juyal 2017). Indeed, it tends to decrease in a significant way in cases of high trauma, especially in relation to the time of exposure to stress (Roazzi et al. 2016). ...
The COVID-19 crisis led to changes in different areas of workers’ lives, as well as repercussions in stress management, social relationships, and perception of personal and professional growth. Considering this, well-being in the workplace is crucial to carrying out effective activities and performance, and it is also essential to verifying the impact of the pandemic on the current situation of workers’ overall well-being. The study investigates the mediation of Personal Growth (PG) between two personal resources at work, Internal Locus (LOCI) and Optimism (OPT), on the Pemberton Happiness Index (PHI), an important multi-faceted indicator of well-being. This study was conducted on respondents performing professions (n = 666), both before (2019, n = 410) and during the pandemic (2020, n = 256). The relationships were tested simultaneously using a multi-group structural equation model (MPLUS7). The estimated model shows that personal resources at work increase PG (LOCI mostly during the pandemic; OPT mostly before the pandemic); OPT directly increases PHI; PG increases PHI (mostly before the pandemic); and personal resources increase through PG and PHI (LOCI more during the pandemic; OPT more before the pandemic). The study is cross-sectional, as it was not possible to compare the same workers over two years. The research offers ideas for activation of training programs, support and development of individual resources, and personal growth aimed at improving well-being and the work experience for workers.
In this paper, we conduct a detailed examination of the determinants of attitudes to financial risk among retail investors in six European countries (Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom). We find that respondents from the United Kingdom and Belgium are the most risk tolerant while those from Spain are the least. We observe remarkable similarities in the distributions of risk tolerance across countries despite cultural differences and considerable variations in the extent to which risky investing is undertaken as a routine part of financial planning. We further show that country effects in the cross-sectional variation of attitude to risk scores are swamped by the impacts of gender, salary and wealth, while financial knowledge and prior investment experience are much more important still. Our results have implications for regulators and those who wish to encourage European investors to consider going beyond bank savings and guaranteed products to more prevalent stock market investing in an era of negative real interest rates.
In this Cambridge Companion, global thought leaders in the fields of workplace stress and well-being highlight how theory and research can improve employee health and well-being. The volume explains how and why the topics of workplace stress and well-being have evolved and continue to be highly relevant, and why line managers have great influence over employees' quality of working life. It includes the latest research findings on stress and well-being and their impact on organizations, as well as up-to-date findings on the effectiveness of workplace interventions focused on these issues. It also explores important and emerging issues relating to organizational stress and well-being, including the ongoing effects of the global coronavirus pandemic. This is an ideal reference for students and researchers in the areas of human resources management, occupational health psychology and organisational behavior.
Purpose
This study examines the relationship between partners' locus of control and their spouses' domains of job satisfaction (job satisfaction and its domains, personal income and promotion) among Australian couples.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were obtained from the Household, Income and Labor Dynamics of Australia (HILDA) Survey. Various estimation strategies including ordinary least squares (OLS), Mundlak approach and instrumental variable (IV) method are used to reveal the relationship between spouse's locus of control and domains of job satisfaction.
Findings
To reduce sex heterogeneity, the analysis used in this study is disaggregated by sex. In particular, the findings of this study show that wives' locus of control positively influences husbands' satisfaction with pay and working hours, while there is no relationship between husbands' locus of control and wives' domains of job satisfaction.
Social implications
The study's findings emphasize the importance of locus of control in couples. A good work–life balance and a healthy marital relationship potentially facilitate positive effects of characteristics from the partner on employees' job satisfaction. Thus, on the organizational level, employers may consider creating a working environment that promotes a healthy marital relationship for their staff, including flexible working schedules, work from home options, family days or family-extended staff events.
Originality/value
This study is the first to reveal the relationship between spousal locus of control and domains of job satisfaction, enriching the current literature on this topic.
attempt to make a broad sweep of the industrial and organizational psychology and organizational behavior literatures with the intention of uncovering evidence about the effects of employee control in the workplace
summary of experimental and social psychological control research / control theories / intrinsic need for control / learned helplessness / distinguishing predictability from control
include those studies that measure control beliefs directly as well as studies that assess working conditions that are theoretically causal of those cognitions
cover studies that address relevant dispositional constructs such as locus of contol / individual difference variables / type A behavior pattern
control theory in organizational settings / participation in decision making / job design research / autonomy research / machine pacing / job decision latitude / tests of an interactive control model
workplace interventions and control
job attitudes / job performance / stress and well-being (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
The effects of work-family conflict on the well-being of a diverse sample of 342 non-professional employees from the greater Los Angeles area were examined. Data were collected at two points in time, and a rigorous research design was employed. The effects of self-report bias were considered by controlling for social desirability bias, and by collecting two sources of data (i.e. self-reports and co-workers reports). The results revealed that work-family conflict predicted employee well-being over and above social desirability bias. In addition, analyses were consistent when both self-reports and co-workers reports were utilized. Finally, work-family conflict was a longitudinal predictor of employee's positive well-being. Both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses were consistent across self-reports and co-worker reports.
The current study was designed to investigate the situational, dispositional, and affective antecedents of counterproductive work behaviors. A model based on the organizational frustration–aggression work of Spector and colleagues was tested using structural equation modeling and zero-order correlational analysis. As expected, a positive relationship was found between employees' experience of situational constraints (events frustrating their achievement of organizational and personal goals) and counterproductive behavioral responses to frustration (personal and organizational aggression), mediated by affective reactions to frustration. In addition, personality (trait anger and trait anxiety), control beliefs (Work Locus of Control), and estimation of likelihood of punishment were strongly associated with affective and behavioral responses. In particular, strong direct relationships were found between affective response variables and anxiety and locus of control, while direct relationships were found between behavioral response variables and anger and punishment. Finally, differentiated relationships between two facets of trait anger (angry temperament and angry reaction) and four categories of counterproductive behaviors (serious and minor deviance directed at organizational and personal targets) were explored. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
• There are at least 2 general paths to a feeling of control. In primary control, individuals enhance their rewards by influencing existing realities (e.g., other people, circumstances, symptoms, or behavior problems). In secondary control, individuals enhance their rewards by accommodating to existing realities and maximizing satisfaction or goodness of fit with things as they are. It is argued that American psychologists' exclusive focus on primary control reflects a cultural context in which primary control is heavily emphasized and highly valued. In Japan, by contrast, primary control has traditionally been less highly valued and less often anticipated, and secondary control has assumed a more central role in everyday life. Japanese and American perspectives and practices are contrasted in childrearing, socialization, religion and philosophy, work, and psychotherapy. These comparisons reveal some key benefits, and some costs, of both primary and secondary approaches to control. The comparisons suggest that an important goal, both for individuals and for cultures, is an optimally adaptive blend of primary and secondary control. (116 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
• There are at least 2 general paths to a feeling of control. In primary control, individuals enhance their rewards by influencing existing realities (e.g., other people, circumstances, symptoms, or behavior problems). In secondary control, individuals enhance their rewards by accommodating to existing realities and maximizing satisfaction or goodness of fit with things as they are. It is argued that American psychologists' exclusive focus on primary control reflects a cultural context in which primary control is heavily emphasized and highly valued. In Japan, by contrast, primary control has traditionally been less highly valued and less often anticipated, and secondary control has assumed a more central role in everyday life. Japanese and American perspectives and practices are contrasted in childrearing, socialization, religion and philosophy, work, and psychotherapy. These comparisons reveal some key benefits, and some costs, of both primary and secondary approaches to control. The comparisons suggest that an important goal, both for individuals and for cultures, is an optimally adaptive blend of primary and secondary control. (116 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
The purpose of this special issue is to examine the influence of individualism-collectivism on communication. The articles included were selected from papers presented at the California State University, Fullerton conference on "Individualistic and Collectivistic Perspectives on Communication" held in March 1997.(1) In this article, I discuss individualism-collectivism at the cultural- and individual-levels. I also briefly outline previous research on the effect of individualism-collectivism on communication. I conclude by overviewing the articles included in this issue. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd All lights reserved.
The assumption that a longitudinal design reduces the size of the relationships between work stressors and strains was tested. A comparison of cross-sectional and longitudinal correlations suggested that temporal separation of stressors and strains reduced correlations between role ambiguity and primarily attitudinal strains. Cross-sectional correlations between role conflict and strains, as well as correlations involving health-related strains, were practically unaffected by switching to a longitudinal design. A theory-driven approach to the adoption of temporal separation of stressor and strain measures in organizational stress research is outlined.