Host country national support to expatriates: a motivated information processing perspective

PurposeThe support of host country nationals (HCNs) is a key determinant of expatriate adjustment and performance. The purpose of this paper is to explore underlying motivations for their support to expatriates. Previous research has shown that HCNs with pro-social motivation are more likely to help expatriates. Drawing upon motivated information processing in groups (MIP-G) theory, the authors test whether epistemic motivation moderates the observed relationship between pro-social motivation and HCNs’ support toward expatriates.Design/methodology/approachThe authors ran two correlational studies (N = 267) in the USA (Study 1) and South Korea (Study 2). Across two studies, epistemic motivation and social motivation were measured using their multiple proxies validated in previous research. The authors also measured HCNs’ willingness to offer role information and social support to a hypothetical expatriate worker.FindingsResults lend support to our hypotheses that pro-social HCNs are more willing than pro-self HCNs to provide role information and social support to the expatriates, but this occurs only when they have high rather than low epistemic motivation.Originality/valueThe current paper contributes the literature on HCNs helping expatriates by qualifying the prior results that a pro-social motivation (e.g. agreeableness and collectivism) increases the willingness of HCNs to help expatriates. As hypothesized, this study found that that case is only true when HCNs have high, rather than low, epistemic motivation. Also, previous research on MIP-G theory has mainly focused on the performance of small groups (e.g. negotiation, creativity and decision-making). To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this research is the first attempt to test MIP-G theory in the context of HCNs helping expatriates.

Seeing Through the FOG: A Classroom Exercise Illustrating the Challenges of Sharing Information as Facts, Opinions, and Guesses in Teams

Information sharing is a critical aspect of effective team functioning. However, it can be challenging to discern whether the information communicated is fact, opinion, or someone’s best guess (FOG) due to the varied understandings, assumptions, and interests team members bring to any collaboration. In this article, we introduce a role-play exercise that helps participants better understand the complexities associated with information sharing in teams and how to sort through the FOG associated with information exchanges. Drawing upon research on motivated information processing, this exercise simulates the challenges of information sharing and assists teachers in demonstrating strategies to overcome them.

Membership change, idea generation, and group creativity: A motivated information processing perspective

Membership change has been found to stimulate collective idea generation but to not always benefit group creativity—the generation of final outcomes that are novel and useful. Based on motivated information processing theory, we propose that membership change challenges group members to generate more ideas, but that this only contributes to group creativity when members have high levels of prosocial motivation and are willing to process and integrate each other’s ideas. In a laboratory study of 56 student groups, we found that incremental, but not radical, idea generation mediated the positive effect of membership change on group creativity, and only when group members were prosocially motivated. The present study points to different roles of incremental versus radical ideas and underscores the importance of accounting for prosocial motivation in groups for reaping the benefits of membership change in relation to group creativity.

Cooperative, Competitive and Hybrid Motivated Information Processing in Teams

<p></p><p>Currently, there is a proliferation of studies examining group and team dynamics, as an increasing number of organizations are incorporating group and team-based structures. Extant literature has provided mixed findings regarding the influence of reward structures on various team outcomes. E.g., More rapid activity in teams has been found for competitive reward structure, with diminishing quality of work (Mailer, 1929). Which type of reward structure (competitive, cooperative or hybrid) has the best implication for team performance in organizations? This paper aims to address this question by incorporating the mechanism (i.e., epistemic and social motivation) and moderating variable (i.e., need for affiliation). Understanding the motivated information processing in groups model (MIP-G) and antecedents of team performance has important managerial implications. This moderator (i.e., need for affiliation) has not been examined in relation to all three types of reward structures in past studies. This paper hopes to extend the literature of reward structures and motivated information processing model by encompassing this new boundary condition. It is essential to incorporate novel contexts while examining relationships among variables as this approach further develops existing theories.</p><br><p></p>

Cooperative, Competitive and Hybrid Motivated Information Processing in Teams

<p></p><p>Currently, there is a proliferation of studies examining group and team dynamics, as an increasing number of organizations are incorporating group and team-based structures. Extant literature has provided mixed findings regarding the influence of reward structures on various team outcomes. E.g., More rapid activity in teams has been found for competitive reward structure, with diminishing quality of work (Mailer, 1929). Which type of reward structure (competitive, cooperative or hybrid) has the best implication for team performance in organizations? This paper aims to address this question by incorporating the mechanism (i.e., epistemic and social motivation) and moderating variable (i.e., need for affiliation). Understanding the motivated information processing in groups model (MIP-G) and antecedents of team performance has important managerial implications. This moderator (i.e., need for affiliation) has not been examined in relation to all three types of reward structures in past studies. This paper hopes to extend the literature of reward structures and motivated information processing model by encompassing this new boundary condition. It is essential to incorporate novel contexts while examining relationships among variables as this approach further develops existing theories.</p><br><p></p>

Ideology as Filter: Motivated Information Processing and Decision-Making in the Energy Domain

The transition towards more renewable energy will substantially increase voters’ involvement in the political decision-making process in the energy domain. Decisions such as whether to approve or reject large-scale energy programs can be complex, especially when available information cues are numerous and conflicting. Here, we hypothesize that political ideology is a strong determinant in this process, serving as a filter that voters apply when evaluating the relevance of provided information cues. We tested this hypothesis in the context of the 2017 Public Vote on the Swiss Energy Act. A sample of n = 931 Swiss voters were presented with arguments in favor or against the Energy Act, which were framed in terms of values found to be relevant for liberal and conservative ideologies, respectively. Political ideology strongly determined individual attitudes and voting preferences. Political ideology moreover moderated the influence of information provision on decisions, in that arguments congruent with voters’ political ideology were more likely to be evaluated as personally relevant and integrated into their decisions. We discuss the implications of our findings for measures on how to address ideology-based decision-making in order to ensure a well-informed electorate.

What Motivates Scientists in Emerging Economies to Become Entrepreneurs? Evidence from Vietnam

Studies of scientist entrepreneurship have recognized a diverse range of proself motivations but have largely ignored the role of prosocial motivation. As technology inventions often bring in high positive externality, we argue that prosocial motivation is important for scientist entrepreneurship and sustainable development. Drawing from motivated information processing theory we develop a model linking proself and prosocial motivation with scientist entrepreneurship. The hypotheses were tested based on survey data from a sample of Vietnamese scientists. The results show that both proself and prosocial motivation are positively associated with scientist entrepreneurship. However, the positive association between prosocial motivation and scientist entrepreneurship is lessened by proself motivation. This study calls for more attention to prosocial motivation in theory and policy development on scientist entrepreneurship.