Reference paper:
Grant, A. M., & Ashford, S. J. (2008). The dynamics of proactivity at work. Research in organizational behavior, 28(1), 3–34.Conclusion:
(A 50-word quick summary from my understanding)
The study develops an integrative framework - Proactivity Dynamics Framework - designed to generalize across specific manifestations of proactive behavior, describing the nature, dimensions, situational antecedents, psychological mechanisms, dispositional moderators and consequences of proactive behavior. It concludes that valuable lessons can be learnt by examining proactivity at a general level.Quick Notes/queries:
(For my further delving)
Situations
- Are certain situations, environments and climate more conducive to particular types of proactive behavior? For example - Is an entrepreneurial setting more conducive to taking charge behavior? In a stable environment, is feedback seeking behavior more common than in rapidly changing environment?
- What are other possible situational antecedents of proactivity (other than accountability, ambiguity and autonomy such as organizational culture, climate, practices and norms of proactivity)? How do dispositions moderate the influence of these situational antecedents?
- Do certain situations, despite its negative nature, fuel more proactivity? For ex - in organizations/collectives facing external threats is it likely that the constituents display higher levels of proactivity?
Knowledge, skills and abilities
- How are knowledge, skills and abilities important for acquiring, communicating and applying proactivity? What practical intelligence (ability to get things done successfully) is pertinent to proactivity?
- Do employees with lower levels knowledge and skills engage in more proactive information seeking and learning behaviors? Are employees with higher level of knowledge and skills more effective in anticipatory planning?
- Do employees who engage in particular kind of OCB behaviors (affiliative vs challenge-oriented) have distinct level of knowledge, skills and abilities? Are employees with higher level of knowledge, skills and abilities more likely to engage in challenge-oriented behaviors such as voice or taking charge? Alternatively, are individuals lacking particular knowledge, skills and abilities less likely to engage in challenge oriented behaviors as compared to affiliative behaviors due to perceived poor efficacy in the former?
- How do employees learn to engage in proactive behaviors and how do they gain situational judgment skills?
Cost/Benefits
- Do certain employees engage in proactive behaviors regardless of rewards?
- What are the unintended consequences of high levels of proactivity for individuals, groups and organizations?
- How do employees react to failures resulting from proactivity? Do certain individual types view such experiences as learning opportunities or tactical steps?
Others
- What are the situational antecedents, psychological mechanisms, dispositional moderators and consequences of proactivity as a team- or organizational- level attribute?
- What distinct profiles, other than prevention-focused and promotion-focused, possibly characterize patterns of proactivity?
- Do certain employees display more proactivity of one kind as against the other? For ex - high on voice and taking charge, but low on helping? If so, what characterizes this disparate behavior?
- What are the implications of basic values and affective experiences (emotions and moods) on proactivity?
- What influence does leadership have on proactivity in an organization?