Effect of learning goal orientation on work engagement through job crafting. A moderated mediation approach
| Pages | 220-233 |
| Published date | 04 February 2019 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/PR-11-2017-0346 |
| Date | 04 February 2019 |
| Author | Makoto Matsuo |
| Subject Matter | HR & organizational behaviour,Global HRM |
Effect of learning goal orientation
on work engagement through
job crafting
A moderated mediation approach
Makoto Matsuo
Graduate School of Economics and Business Administration, Hokkaido
University, Sapporo, Japan
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to examine the mechanism by which learning goal orientation (LGO)
promotes work engagement through job crafting (seeking challenges).
Design/methodology/approach –A moderated mediation model was tested using survey data from 266
public health nurses and hospital nurses in Japan.
Findings –The results indicated that job crafting partially mediated the relationship between LGO and work
engagement, and that the mediation effect was stronger when reflection was high (vs middle and low).
Research limitations/implications –Although common method bias and validity of measurement were
evaluated in this paper, the survey data were cross-sectional.
Practical implications –The results suggest that selecting people with a stronger sense of LGO may be a
useful strategy for promoting job crafting and work engagement in an organization. Additionally,
organizations should give employees opportunities to reflect on their jobs and to craft them into more
challenging ones in the workplace.
Originality/value –Although little is known about mechanisms by which LGO promotes work engagement,
this study found that job crafting and reflection play important roles in linking LGO and work engagement.
Keywords Quantitative, Reflection, Work engagement, Moderated mediation, Learning goal orientation,
Job crafting
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Work engagement, or a positive, fulfilling, work-related state of mind (Schaufeli et al., 2002),
has emerged as a significant construct in the applied psychological and management
literature because it has been shown to promote both well-being and performance in
employees (Saks,2006; Van De Voorde et al., 2016).The growing interest in work engagement
gives rise to the need for better understanding of its antecedents (Woods and Sofat, 2013).
Although numerous factors have been examined as antecedents (e.g. self-regulation
behaviors, personality traits, psychological meaningfulness, job autonomy), learning goal
orientation (LGO), known as a disposition that intrinsically motivates employees (Cerasoli
and Ford, 2014), may be one of the major determinants of work engagement (Adriaenssens
et al., 2015; Jones et al., 2017) because work engagement constitutes a form of intrinsic
motivation (Demerouti et al., 2015). Despite their importance, little is known, from previous
studies, about the factors that mediate the relationship between LGO and work engagement.
To address this gap, the present research examined the LGO–engagement relationship in
terms of “job crafting”(seeking challenges), conceptualized based on job demands-resources
( JD-R) theory (Demerouti et al., 2001), as well as “reflection,”which plays an important role
in the learning process (Kolb, 1984; Mezirow and Taylor, 2011). These two factors were
selected based on “self-determination theory (SDT),”which proposes that autonomous
motivation with intrinsic goals (as opposed to controlled motivation with extrinsic goals)
Personnel Review
Vol. 48 No. 1, 2019
pp. 220-233
© Emerald PublishingLimited
0048-3486
DOI 10.1108/PR-11-2017-0346
Received 17 November 2017
Revised 10 February 2018
Accepted 15 February 2018
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/0048-3486.htm
This work was supported by JSPS KAKENHI (Grant No. 26285078).
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PR
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