Job- and organization-based psychological ownership: relationship and outcomes

• Published in: Journal of managerial psychology Vol. 30; no. 2; pp. 151 - 168
• Main Authors: Peng, He, Pierce, Jon
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bradford Emerald Group Publishing Limited 09.03.2015
• Subjects: Behavior; Collectivism; Corporate culture; Culture; Emergence; Employees; HR & organizational behaviour; Hypotheses; Individualism; Job control; Job satisfaction; Least squares method; Methodology; Occupational psychology; Organizational aspects; Organizational change; Organizational citizenship behaviour; Organizational psychology; Ownership; Psychological aspects; Psychology; Studies; Variables; Workplace control; Employee behaviour; Job attitudes; Managerial psychology
• ISSN: 0268-3946; 1758-7778
• DOI: 10.1108/JMP-07-2012-0201

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between job- and organization-based psychological ownership. In addition, the authors explored the emergence and outcomes of psychological ownership in Chinese context. Design/methodology/approach – Time-lagged survey data from 158 Chinese participants were used to test several hypothesized relationships employing partial least square techniques. Findings – Job-based psychological ownership appeared to mediate the relationship between experienced job control and organization-based psychological ownership. In addition, a statistically significant relationship between job-based psychological ownership and job satisfaction, organizational citizenship behaviors and turnover intentions, and a statistically significant relationship between organization-based psychological ownership and job satisfaction were observed. A negative relationship between organization-based psychological ownership and knowledge withholding was also observed. Practical implications – Managers who want to enhance employees’ job- and ultimately organization-based psychological ownership should empower their employees by enabling them to exert control over their work. Originality/value – This paper examined how organization-based psychological ownership emerges from control over work via job-based psychological ownership. The authors also investigated the impact of psychological ownership in Chinese context.