Journal article
Recognizing "me" benefits "we": Investigating the positive spillover effects of formal individual recognition in teams
Journal of applied psychology, Vol.101(7), pp.925-939
07/2016
DOI: 10.1037/apl0000101
PMID: 26963082
Abstract
Many organizations use formal recognition programs (e.g., "employee of the month") as a way to publically acknowledge an individual employee's outstanding performance and motivate continued high performance. However, it remains unclear whether emphasizing individual achievement in a team context is beneficial or detrimental for recipients' teammates and, by extension, the team as a whole. Drawing on a social influence perspective, we examine potential spillover effects of individual formal recognition programs in teams. We hypothesize that a single team member's recognition will produce positive spillover effects on other team members' performance, as well as overall team performance, via social influence processes, especially when the award recipient is located in a central position in a team. Findings from 2 lab experiments of 24 teams and 40 teams (Study 1 and Study 2, respectively) and a field experiment of 52 manufacturing teams (Study 3) reveal that formally recognizing a team member leads to positive changes in her/his teammates' individual and collective performance. Thus, formal social recognition programs can potentially provide a motivational effect beyond individual recipients. (PsycINFO Database Record
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Recognizing "me" benefits "we": Investigating the positive spillover effects of formal individual recognition in teams
- Creators
- Ning Li - Tippie College of Business, The University of IowaXiaoming Zheng - Department of Leadership and Organization Management, School of Economics and Management, Tsinghua UniversityT Brad Harris - Department of Management, Entrepreneurship and Leadership, Neeley School of Business, Texas Christian UniversityXin Liu - Department of Leadership and Organization Management, School of Economics and Management, Tsinghua UniversityBradley L Kirkman - Department of Management, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship, Poole College of Management, North Carolina State University
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Journal of applied psychology, Vol.101(7), pp.925-939
- DOI
- 10.1037/apl0000101
- PMID
- 26963082
- ISSN
- 0021-9010
- eISSN
- 1939-1854
- Grant note
- DOI: 10.13039/501100001809, name: National Natural Science Foundation of China, award: 71272022 and 71302012
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 07/2016
- Academic Unit
- Management and Entrepreneurship
- Record Identifier
- 9984083215202771
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