Exploring the role of implicit person theory in the relationship between innovative work climate and proactive behaviour at work

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore the role of employees' underlying implicit person theories in the relationship with innovative work climate and proactive behaviour at work. First, the authors study how an employee's implicit person theory (IPT), or the domain-general implicit belief about the development potential of people's attributes, relates to learning goal orientation and proactive learning and entrepreneurial behaviour at work. Second, the authors investigate how employees' perception of their work climate is associated with this IPT. Design/methodology/approach The authors set up an exploratory study relying on survey data from a sample of 498 professionally active Flemish adults and analysed a correlational path through SEM. Findings The authors found that holding an incremental IPT (i.e. believing in the development potential of people's attributes) positively relates to proactive learning and entrepreneurial behaviour. Moreover, the authors found that employees working in an innovative work climate are more likely to hold an incremental IPT. Originality/value This study offers indications that IPT is a relevant explanatory variable in the relationship between innovative work climate on the one hand and learning goal orientation, learning work behaviour and entrepreneurial work behaviour on the other hand. As such, this study suggests that IPT is a promising concept that can be actively endorsed as a relevant underlying psychological process variable for fostering learning and entrepreneurial behaviour in organizations.