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The concept of personal initiative: Operationalization, reliability and validity in two German samples
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1997
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Self-managementEntrepreneurial MotivationEntrepreneurshipAutonomyOrganizational BehaviorPsychologySocial SciencesSelf-monitoringManagementConstruct ValiditySelf-report StudyOrganizational PsychologyWork AttitudeQuantified SelfSocial IdentityBehavioral SciencesMotivationOrganizational ResearchGerman SamplesBusiness LeadershipPersonal InitiativePerformance StudiesOrganizational CommunicationBusinessEntrepreneurship ResearchHuman-computer InteractionIntrapreneurshipSelf-assessmentSurvey Methodology
Personal initiative is a behavioural syndrome comprising several factors and is important for organizational effectiveness as a form of contextual performance. The authors validated interview‑ and questionnaire‑based scales for initiative through two interrelated studies: a longitudinal study in East Germany (N = 543) and a cross‑sectional study in West Germany (N = 160). Initiative correlated with partner assessments, need for achievement, action orientation, problem‑focused and passive emotion‑focused coping, career planning and execution, but not with job satisfaction; it was higher among small‑scale entrepreneurs in the East and among unemployed who secured jobs more quickly.
Personal initiative is conceptualized as a behavioural syndrome made up of several factors. It is important for organizational effectiveness and is one aspect of ‘contextual performance’. The construct validity of a set of interview‐ and questionnaire‐based scales for measuring initiative was ascertained in interrelated studies (two waves from a longitudinal study in East Germany [ N = 543] and a cross‐sectional study in West Germany [ N = 160]). As hypothesized, initiative correlated with partners' assessments, need for achievement, action orientation, problem‐focused and passive emotion‐focused coping, career planning and executing plans, but not with job satisfaction. Higher initiative existed in small‐scale entrepreneurs in the East and in those unemployed who got a job more quickly.