The antecedents and consequences of employee feedback avoidance behavior from the perspective of a coping theory

Science Research Management ›› 2015, Vol. 36 ›› Issue (5) : 127-138.

Wang Zhen¹, Song Meng²

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Abstract

Feedback avoidance behavior (FAB), described as a set of active feedback management tactics that employees may enact when they have performed poorly and wish to avoid a feedback exchange with their supervisors, is an important type of feedback management. However, the investigation is very limited that we still have little knowledge of how FAB influences employee's workplace outcomes and why does FAB occur. Using coping theory as an overarching framework, the current study aimed to explore the antecedents and consequences of FAB in Chinese organizational context. We examined research questions with 192 supervisor-employee dyads. The results revealed that CSE and abusive supervision had negative and positive effects on FAB, respectively. Abusive supervision was found to moderate the association of CSE and FAB that CSE was negatively associated with employees' FAB only when their supervisor demonstrated less abusive leadership behavior. As for the outcomes, FAB had detrimental effect on employee's in-role and extra-role performance. In general, this study illustrates the interactive effects of CSE and abusive supervision on FAB, which is an urgent response to extant calling. It also broaden the research line of feedback avoidance behavior by illustrating its important outcomes including both in-role and out-role performance.

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feedback avoidance behavior / core self-evaluation / abusive supervision / job performance

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Wang Zhen, Song Meng. The antecedents and consequences of employee feedback avoidance behavior from the perspective of a coping theory[J]. Science Research Management. 2015, 36(5): 127-138

References

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