Social Support at the Workplace, Motivation to Transfer, and Training Transfer: A Multi-Level Indirect Effects Model

Supervisor support, peer support and transfer motivation have been identified as important predictors for training transfer. Transfer motivation is supposed to mediate the support–training transfer relationship. Especially after team training interventions that include all team members (i.e., intact-team training), individual perception of these factors might be shared among team members. However, an integration of the team level in the training transfer process is rare, yet still needed. Analyzing 194 employees from 34 teams in the context of intact-team training interventions, we found similar relationships and processes at both levels of analysis: Social support enhances transfer motivation at the individual and team levels. Furthermore, motivation to transfer increases training transfer and serves as a connecting mechanism in the social support–training transfer link. The results underline the importance of (1) considering multiple levels in theories and research about the training transfer process and (2) ensuring the practice of individual-directed support and a shared, supportive climate within teams.

Befinden und Motivation im Sport – Das Resultat einer Motiv-Sportziel-Passung

Um Befinden und Motivation im Sport vorherzusagen, wird in der vorliegenden Arbeit eine Motiv-Ziel-Passungsannahme geprüft. Zwei Studien testen die Hypothese, dass das Verfolgen sportbezogener Ziele, die zu den impliziten Motiven (Leistungs- und Anschlussmotiv) der Sporttreibenden passen, zu positivem Befinden im Sport und hoher geplanter Sportaktivität führt, während das Verfolgen motivinkongruenter Ziele beeinträchtigend wirkt. Eine erste korrelative Studie (N = 67) bestätigt die Hypothese für die Vorhersage des positiven Befindens während des Sporttreibens in einer Stichprobe bestehend aus Sportstudierenden, die selbstgesetzte Ziele verfolgen. In einer zweiten Studie (N = 67) werden motivkongruente und motivinkongruente TrainerInnen-Ziele experimentell induziert. Die Motiv-Ziel-Interaktionen sagen auch hier das Befinden und zusätzlich die intendierte zukünftige Sportaktivität vorher. Der theoretische Erkenntnisgewinn dieser Studien besteht darin, dass fremdgesetzte TrainerInnen-Ziele sehr ähnlich wirken wie selbstgesetzte Ziele. Die praktischen Implikationen beinhalten Zielimaginationsübungen, die die Wahl motivpassender Sportziele erleichtern sollen.

Public service motivation and rational choice modeling

While most previous research has considered public service motivation (PSM) as the only motivational factor predicting (public) job choice, the authors present a novel, rational choice-based model which includes three motivational dimensions: extrinsic, enjoyment-based intrinsic and prosocial intrinsic. Besides providing more accurate person-job fit predictions, this new approach fills a significant research gap and facilitates future theory building.

How quota-based procedures affect the self-ascribed fit and motivation of European women and men striving for leadership positions

The consequences of quota-based hiring policies on women’s and men’s self-ascribed fit and motivation to apply for leadership positions were investigated in the European context. 389 management students (195 women, 194 men) from Switzerland, Germany, and Austria received job advertisements varying in their gender policies. Interestingly, women’s and men’s self-ascribed fit and motivation to apply did not differ when no policy was included. Instead, participant’s agency was the relevant predictor leading to higher perceived fit, resulting in higher inclination to apply. When women were either explicitly invited to apply or preferentially treated when equally qualified, they reported higher fit and inclination to apply compared to both the control condition and men. In contrast, when a quota of 40% women should be established, neither women’s fit nor motivation to apply were increased beyond the levels of the control or men’s. Men were not affected by the different policies.

Latent profiles of work motivation in adolescents in relation to work expectations, goal engagement, and changes in work experiences

Motivation plays a key role in successful entry into working life. Based on a cross-sectional and a one-year longitudinal study, we used a person-centered approach to explore work-related motivation (i.e., autonomous goals, positive affect, and occupational self-efficacy) among 577 students in 8th grade (Study 1) and 949 adolescents in vocational training (Study 2). Based on latent profile analysis, in both studies we identified four groups that were characterized by different levels of overall motivation and one group characterized by low positive affect and mean levels in autonomous goals and self-efficacy. Profiles characterized by high levels of motivation showed the highest levels of positive work expectations and goal engagement and the lowest levels of negative work expectations in Study 1 and the highest levels of person-job fit, work engagement, and job satisfaction in Study 2. Moreover, latent difference score analysis showed that motivational profiles predicted changes in person-job fit and work engagement across one year but not in job satisfaction. The results imply that career counselors should be aware of characteristic motivational patterns of clients that may require specific counseling approaches.

Chance Events and Career Decidedness: Latent Profiles in Relation to Work Motivation

Research has shown that chance events affect careers but has not established the nature of their effects. Moreover, the relationship between chance and career decidedness is not well understood. The present study used a person-centered approach with latent profile analysis to examine 312 Swiss adolescents in their first year of vocational training. We identified five qualitatively differing profiles according to levels of perceived chance events and career decidedness: balanced scorers, undecided with mean chance, undecided with high chance, decided with chance, and decided without chance. The groups differed significantly in work motivation (i.e., occupational self-efficacy beliefs, perceived person-job fit, and work engagement). Decided adolescents reported more favorable work motivation regardless of their level of perceived chance events. The results imply that promoting decidedness remains a valuable goal in career counseling despite the occurrence of unpredicted events.