![Sample our Behavioral Sciences journals, sign in here to start your access, latest two full volumes FREE to you for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/110801/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Behavioral-Sciences.jpg"})
Abstract
Previous research showed that job stressors are positively related to proactive work behavior. This study examines if these relations can be generalized to supervisor-rated proactive behavior and if relations of job stressors (time pressure, situational constraints) and job control with proactive behavior can be explained by role breadth self-efficacy as an underlying mechanism. We used supervisor ratings of proactive behavior (personal initiative, taking charge) from 140 employees working in small and medium-sized companies. Multilevel path analyses supported a partial mediation model. Job control and time pressure were positively related to role breadth self-efficacy, and role breadth self-efficacy was positively related to proactive behavior. Job control had also a direct relation with proactive behavior. The relation between situational constraints and proactive behavior was not significant.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Both authors contributed equally to this article. This research was founded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research within the Framework Concept ”Research for Tomorrow's Production” (Fund Number 02PI2077) and managed by the Project Management Agency Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, Production and Manufacturing Technologies Division. This grant is gratefully acknowledged. We thank Carmen Binnewies and Jennifer L. Sparr for their helpful comments on earlier drafts of this article, and Katharina Burde, Maike Debus, Nicolas Feuerhahn, Mathilde van Haperen, and Nora Liers for their support in data collection.
Notes
1The use of control variables has been criticized (e.g., CitationSpector & Brannick, 2011). Therefore, we ran our model tests also without age as control variable. All paths that were significant in the partial mediation models and in the final models remained significant.