Shall we get along or get ahead? A multimethod study of how organizational context shapes individuals’ feedback giving and feedback seeking

In light of the increasing interest of scholars and managers in understanding the factors that constitute and how we can create an organizational context in which individuals feel comfortable and open giving and seeking feedback, this dissertation investigated the following question: How does the organizational context of feedback shape individuals’ feedback giving and feedback seeking? Based on a systematic literature review of the multilevel contextual influences on the feedback-performance relationship in teams, this dissertation showed that research on intrateam influences is more advanced than research on inter- and extrateam-level contextual factors. In addition, to respond to this gap identified in the literature as well as to the limitations of the literature highlighted in this dissertation’s introductory chapter, we conducted two empirical studies. Specifically, using a multiple-case study design to investigate three organizations, we explored how the organizational context of feedback shapes individuals’ perceptions of negative feedback giving. Moreover, using six diverse samples, we developed a scale to measure individuals’ perceptions of organizational feedback norms, and using supervisor-employee dyads, we investigated how those feedback norms shape the individual’s feedback-seeking behaviour (i.e., feedback monitoring and feedback inquiry) via the perceived value of feedback and the perceived risk of seeking feedback. As a result of these three studies, this dissertation makes several contributions to the literature on the organizational context of feedback and performance management more broadly. First, this dissertation contributes to the discussion concerning the organizational context of feedback and how it shapes individuals’ feedback seeking and feedback giving at work. Second, this dissertation adds to the literature on organizational feedback norms and how to measure them. Third, it contributes to the literature on feedback seeking and feedback giving by offering a perspective that may unite these two separate literature streams. Finally, this dissertation adds to the literature on performance management by proposing a perspective that can be used to explore its organizational context. Each chapter concludes by highlighting the practical implications of this research for managers and organizations who aim to create an organizational context that is favourable to feedback giving and feedback seeking among individuals. Specifically, we encourage organizations to consider this endeavour to stimulate feedback in the organization holistically, which requires them to pay attention to the organizational context of feedback. We particularly emphasize the importance of organizational performance and relational norms as well as that of actively encouraging feedback within organizations, which can jointly foster or hinder an individual’s tendency to give and seek feedback at work.