An Empirical Study on the Relationship between Self-Control and Employees’ Initiative Behavior: The Intermediary Role of Emotion Burnout

Abstract

This paper establishes the relationship model between trait self-control and employees’ initiative behavior, using emotion burnout as an intermediary variable, and analyzes the modulation effect of occupation types on it. This paper explores the interactive effects and influence mechanism through the empirical analysis of 189 samples. The results show that the emotion burnout has a partial mediating effect on the relationship between trait self-control and employees’ initiative behavior; that is the emotion burnout has a negative effect on employee’ initiative behavior. Besides, we also find out that the occupation types have a regulatory effect on the relationship between emotion burnout and employees’ initiative behavior.

Share and Cite:

Liu, Y. , Wang, X. , Dou, K. and Zhang, B. (2015) An Empirical Study on the Relationship between Self-Control and Employees’ Initiative Behavior: The Intermediary Role of Emotion Burnout. Open Journal of Business and Management, 3, 219-227. doi: 10.4236/ojbm.2015.32021.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1] Fay, D. and Frese, M. (2001) The Concept of Personal Initiative: An Overview of Validity Studies. Human Performance, 14, 97-124.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1207/S15327043HUP1401_06
[2] Griffin, M.A., Neal, A. and Parker, S.K. (2007) A New Model of Work Role Performance: Positive Behavior in Uncertain and Interdependent Contexts. Academy of Management Journal, 50, 327-347.
http://dx.doi.org/10.5465/AMJ.2007.24634438
[3] Parker, S.K. and Collins, C.G. (2010) Taking Stock: Integrating and Differentiating Multiple Initiative Behaviors. Journal of Management, 36, 633-662.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0149206308321554
[4] Hagger, M.S., Wood, C., Stiff, C. and Chatzisarantis, N.L.D. (2010) Ego Depletion and the Strength Model of Self-Control: A Meta-Analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 136,495-525.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0019486
[5] Baumerster, R.F., Heatberton, T.F. and Tice, D.M. (1994) Losing Control: How and Why People Fail at Self-Regulation. Academic Press, Cambridge.
[6] Wang, Z.J., Yuan, D.Y. and Long, L.R. (2013) A Review of Researches on Source, Effects and Countermeasures of Ego-Depletion at Work. Foreign Economics & Management, 35, 71-80.
[7] Frese, M., Fay, D., Hilburger, T., Leng, K. and Tag, A. (1977) The Concept of Personal Initiative: Operationalization, Reliability and Validity in Two German Samples. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 70, 139-161.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.2044-8325.1997.tb00639.x
[8] Frese, M., Kring, W., Soose, A. and Zempel, J. (1996) Personal Initiative at Work Differences between East and West Germany Academy of Management Journal, 39, 37-63.
[9] Watson, D. and Clark, L.A. (1992) Affects Separable and Inseparable: On the Hierarchical Arrangement of the Negative Effects. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 62, 489-505.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.62.3.489
[10] KeJia, U., Young, R.A., Zou, H. and Yu, Y.B. (2010) An Introduction to Contextual Action Theory of Career and Action-Project Method. Advances in Psychological Science, 18, 1567-1573.
[11] Tangney, J.P., Baumeister, R.F. and Boone, A.L. (2004) High Self-Control Predicts Good Adjustment, Less Pathology, Better Grades, and Interpersonal Success. Journal of Personality, 72, 271-324.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.0022-3506.2004.00263.x
[12] Shirom, A. (2003) Job-Related Burnout. In: Quick, J.C. and Tetrick, L.E., Eds., Handbook of Occupational Health Psychology, American Psychological Association, Washington, DC, 245-264.
[13] Maslach, C.M., Jackson, S.E. and Leiter, M.P. (1996) Maslach Burnout Inventory: Manual. 3rd Edition, Consulting Psychologists Press, Palo Alto.
[14] Bolton, L.R., Harvey, R.D., Grawitch, M.J. and Barber, L.K. (2012) Counterproductive Work Behavious in Response to Emotion Exhaustion: A Moderated Mediational Approach. Stress and Health, 28, 222-233.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/smi.1425
[15] Miller, S. (1981) The Teacher Burnout. ERIC Document Reproduction Services NO.ED204317.
[16] Li, W.X. and Han, W.P. (2010) An Review on Personality Type Theory from the Person-Job Fit Theory. Journal of Mudanjiang Normal University, 1, 87-89.
[17] Johnson, H.A.M. and Spector, P.E. (2007) Service with a Smile: Do Emotional Intelligence, Gender, and Autonomy Moderate the Emotional Labor Process? Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 12, 319-333.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/1076-8998.12.4.319
[18] Van Der Linden, D., Keijsers, G.P.J., Eling, P. and van Schaijk, R. (2005) Work Stress and Attentional Difficulties: An Initial Study on Burnout and Cognitive Failures. Work & Stress, 19, 23-36.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02678370500065275
[19] Zhang, H.H., Li, A.M., Ling, W.Q. and Xu, B. (2009) The Relationship between Managers’ Emotional Intelligence and Performance: Evidence of Direct and Mediated Effects. Nankai Business Review, 12, 104-116.
[20] Chen, X.J. and Wang, C.M. (2001) The Latest Progress in Performance Model. Psychological Science, 24, 737-738.
[21] Demerouti, E., Bakker, A.B., Nachreiner, F. and Schaufeli, W.B. (2001) The Job Demands-Resources Model of Burnout. Journal of Applied Psychology, 86, 499-512.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.86.3.499
[22] Vohs, K.D., Baumeister, R.F., Schmeichel, B.J., Twenge, J.M., Nelson, N.M. and Tice, D.M. (2008) Making Choices Impairs Subsequent Self-Control: A Limited-Resource Account of Decision Making, Self-Regulation, and Active Initiative. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 94, 883-898.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.94.5.883
[23] Zhang, Y.H. and Ling, W.Q. (2009) An Empirical Research on Manager’s Behavior Emotional Intelligence Model and Its Validity. Nankai Business Review, 11, 50-60.

Copyright © 2023 by authors and Scientific Research Publishing Inc.

Creative Commons License

This work and the related PDF file are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.