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Running head: ATTRIBUTION THEORY AND ITS USE ON INNOVATION 1

ATTRIBUTION THEORY AND ITS USE ON INNOVATION 7

Research Paper

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Executive Summary

Innovation contributes a lot to organizations’ success; the success of invention depends more on the employees’ use of the design and not only on its acceptance (Choi, Chung, Choi, 2019). Various theories have backed employees’ acceptance of innovation. For example, the cognitive perception of individuals relates positively to the use of the invention. In the research, innovation implementation has been examined by highlighting the role of attribution. Its value in explaining employees’ conduct concerning functional performance, passive implementation, and implementation on avoidance was used to gauge innovation effectiveness.

Various hypotheses were developed after a literature review on innovation implementation behavior, employees’ attribution on innovation to the organization’s intentionality, and implementation behavior/ innovation effectiveness (Choi, Chung, Choi, 2019). For example, one positive hypothesis was; attribution to constructive intentionality will indirectly affect innovation effectiveness positively through increased active and passive implementation and increased implementation avoidance. Two types of employee attributions were identified, namely; constructive intentionality and deceptive intentionality. Data was collected in Chinese and Korean Organizations from 397 workers and 84 managerial staff (Choi, Chung, Choi, 2019). Research findings proved the hypothesis to be correct. It was found that the attribution of workers to constructive intentionality improved the effectiveness of innovation. Effectiveness was achieved through increasing active implementation while decreasing avoidance of performance. Besides, the attribution of employees to deceptive intentionality reduced the effectiveness of design by enhancing implementation avoidance (Choi, Chung, Choi, 2019). Though the study was limited by data originating from a single point in time, the existing literature on innovation implementation was enriched by the research findings.

Introduction

According to Hsieh (2019), attribution theory has become a significant research paradigm in social psychology. The idea is concerned with how individuals infer occurrences and how they influence their thinking and behavior patterns. The basic assumption of attribution theory is that individuals seeking to fathom another person’s conduct will eventually attribute cause(s) to the behavior (Hsieh, 2019. This theory has been found to influence the implementation of technologies by workers in an organization setting.

The Impacts of Constructive Intentionality on Innovation Implementation

Constructive intentionality is instigated by the management of an institution as a psychological tool confirmed to influence the implementation of innovation by workers (Palazzeschi, Bucci, Di Fabio, 2018). Design in industries is a core concept that drives the initiatives forward. For an invention to be realized, the management must use the information and updated trends of technologies.

Constructive intentionality influences external social support (Lekhawipat, Wei, Lin, 2018). Leaders in organizations use it to show proximal support to workers. Some leaders use styles of charisma and transformational leadership to trigger intentions that promote innovation among workers.

Strategic leaders design strategy that promotes general activities within an organization that reduces cases of employees resisting changes; therefore, such techniques enhance significant transitions and positively impact the implementation of innovations (Palazzeschi, Bucci, Di Fabio, 2018). Employees who work in an organization that supports them with ideas equips them will tools of work feel encouraged design and innovations.

Employees’ beliefs that organization have genuine intentions to enhance their sense of contentment, control, and dedication to the organization. This promotes proactive behavior that is ideal for innovation. Also, it’s highly likely for workers with constructive intentionality attributions to enthusiastically implement innovation and commit towards its success (Lekhawipat, Wei, Lin, 2018). Such employees don’t deviate from the implementation path since their positive attributions reject any negative aspect.

Labeling innovation as the way to go enhances the commitment of employees towards innovation. Ideally, it encourages workers to demonstrate passive implementation, ensuring that they follow the right path of innovation (Palazzeschi, Bucci, Di Fabio, 2018). Also, constructive intentionality engages employees actively in implementing innovations while pinpointing challenges and solving them to realize the possible outcome that benefits them and the organization.

How attribution-based perspectives enhances implementation of innovation

Perceptions usually nurture an individual’s personality and conduct themselves in certain stimuli within an organizational setting (Choi, Chung, Choi, 2019). Management that focuses on employee’s individuals’ traits helps them to determine strengths and work ethics.

Management remains responsible for interpreting behaviors within the organization’s environment (Hewett et al., 2018). While doing so, their perceptions and attributions should not be biased since the repercussions can be reflected within the whole organization. Making the right deductions on employee’s and colleague’s perceptions can help managers adjust accordingly and enhance the implementation of innovation and meaningful ideas to the organization.

Through attribution based perspectives, managers can take attribution and perceptions to their advantage by using them to influence motivation among employees (Choi, Chung, Choi, 2019). For instance, if a worker perceives some aspect in the workplace as discouraging, managers should modify it to change how the employee perceives it. Once a perception has changed to positive, the employee will feel motivated and works towards implementing existing or fresh ideas.

Attribution based perspective encourages psychological empowerment within a working environment (Hewett et al., 2018). Transformational management allows psychological empowerment among employees since it nature individuals’ autonomy. In return, improved independence triggers creativity and innovativeness among employees.

Management styles can be improved through attribution-based perspectives. Successive managers understand that employees develop particular perceptions concerning them and their management styles (Choi, Chung, Choi, 2019). They also appreciate that various perceptions can be controlled through managerial techniques. Therefore, managers must examine the stock of their leadership styles to have a clear understanding of how supervisors and employees perceive their actions at work. This can be achieved by interacting with employees and garnering open feedback. Once a hitch in leadership style is noted, the necessary adjustment should be made to change a negative perception that will automatically enhance the implementation of ideas and employee’s output.

Conclusion

Innovation is a key driver that can ensure an increased competitive edge for firms in this era where competition is high. It’s crucial for managers to understand that, apart from technological factors, psychological factors among the employees can enhance innovation. Through the use of the attribution theory, leaders enhance innovative behaviors among employees. The assumptions of the theory are ideal in interpreting workers while instilling necessary adjustments that will improve innovativeness and implementations.

References

Choi, S. Y., Chung, G. H., & Choi, J. N. (2019). Why are we having this innovation? Employee attributions of innovation and implementation behavior. Social Behavior and Personality: an international journal, 47(7), 1-13.

Hewett, R., Shantz, A., Mundy, J., & Alfes, K. (2018). Attribution theories in human resource management research: A review and research agenda. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 29(1), 87-126.

Hsieh, S. T. (2019). From Attribution Theory and IS Success Aspects, Examining How and Why Nostalgia Affects the Introduction of a New IT System. Journal of Internet Technology, 20(6), 1961-1971.

Lekhawipat, W., Wei, Y. H., & Lin, C. (2018). How internal attributions affect knowledge sharing behavior. Journal of Knowledge Management.

Palazzeschi, L., Bucci, O., & Di Fabio, A. (2018). Re-thinking innovation in organizations in the industry 4.0 scenario: New challenges in a primary prevention perspective. Frontiers in psychology, 9, 30.Choi, S. Y., Chung, G. H., & Choi, J. N. (2019). Why are we having this innovation? Employee attributions of innovation and implementation behavior. Social Behavior and Personality: an international journal, 47(7), 1-13.