The effects of learned resourcefulness on performance: the role of impression management tactics

Year 2014, Volume: 1 Issue: 3, 180 - 190, 01.09.2014

Hatice Necla Keles

Abstract

The  main  goal  of  this  study  is  to  investigate  the  effects  of  learned  resourcefulness  on   performance   and   to   determine   the   mediator   role   of   impression   management  tactics,   defined   as   “the   process   in   which   people   attempt   to   influence   the  perceptions  of  others”.  The  sample  used  in  this  study  consisted  of  people  between  the  ages  of  20  and  50,  who  were  employed  at  a  private  bank  in  Istanbul  (n=110).  The   measurements   were   conducted   using   the   “Learned   Resourcefulness   Scale”,  “Performance   Scale”   and   “Impression   Management   Scale”,   all   adapted   to   Turkish  samples.  1.  INTRODUCTION  Learned   resourcefulness,   impression   management,   and   performance   are   important  factors  that  affect  a  person’s  work  behavior.  Defined  as  a  repertoire  of  behaviors  and  skills  by  which  a  person  self-­‐regulates  internal  events,  learned  resourcefulness  is  meaningful  on  an   organizational   and   administrative   level   as   it   suggests   that   negative   emotions   and  thoughts  can  be  changed  and  corrected  automatically  to  minimize  negative  consequences  (Akgün,  2004,  441-­‐448).    The   importance   of   employee   performance   on   an   organization’s   ability   to   accomplish   its  goals  renders  factors  that  affect  performance  critical.  Although  there  are  many  variables  that   affect   performance,   the   relationship   between   learned   resourcefulness,   which   helps  one   to   cope   with   unwanted   situations,   and   performance   provides   businesses   and  employees  with  useful  information.    Assuming  that  people  with  different  learned  resourcefulness  levels  will  differ  in  terms  of  which   impression   management   tactics   they   use   while   shaping   their   relationships   with  other   individuals   in   organizational   settings,   this   study   aims   to   investigate   the   effects   of  learned   resourcefulness   on   performance   and   to   determine   if   impression   management  tactics  have  any  mediating  and/or  shaping  roles  on  the  said  effects.    The   next   section   after   literature   review,   study   on   the   model   and   the   method   will   be  explained.  The  final  part  of  the  study  empirical  findings  will  be  shared.  2.  LITERATURE  SURVEY  Learned  Resourcefulness  -­‐  The  concept  of  success,  which  is  generally  defined  as  the  level  reached  by  the  execution  of  target  behavior,  can  differ  between  individuals,  and  factors  that   determine   or   affect   the   level   of   success   may   vary   according   to   the   areas   in   which  individuals  perform.  Among  those  factors,  an  individual’s  experiences  and  acquired  skills  stand   out.   Learned   resourcefulness   is   a   concept   referring   to   the   effectiveness   of   an  individual’s   coping   skills   when   faced   with   stressful   events   in   his/her   personal   or  professional   life.     Coined   by   Meichenbaum   (1977),   the   term   learned   resourcefulness   is  used  to  describe  one  of  the  personal  factors  that  help  explain  human  behavior.  Defined  as  the   possession   of   certain   attitudes   that   help   an   individual   to   cope   with   stressful   events  and  problems  (Çakır,  2009),  learned  resourcefulness  describes  how  well  an  individual  can  insulate  himself/herself  from  situations  that  cause  stress  (Dağ,  1991),  a  value  particularly  relevant   to   contemporary   organizations   as   it   highlights   an   important   personal   quality.  According  to  Rosenbaum  (1980),  skills  that  fit  the  description  of  learned  resourcefulness  are   learned   in   an   informal   fashion   at   an   early   age   and   since   individuals   vary   in   their  learning  histories,  their  levels  of  learned  resourcefulness  also  vary.  Individuals  with  high  levels   of   learned   resourcefulness   use   problem-­‐solving   methods,   steer   towards   positive  thinking,  are  able  to  delay  gratification  if  needed  (Kennett,  1994)  and  can  deploy  problem  solving  skills  when  faced  with  an  ongoing  challenge  instead  of  giving  up  (Rosenbaum,  1985  as   cited   in   Smith,   Davids,   1992).   Whereas   those   with   lower   levels   of   learned  resourcefulness   tend   to   be   prone   to   surrendering   when   faced   with   challenges   and  attribute  failures  to  their  own  incompetence  (Kennett,  Keefer,  2006).    Performance  -­‐  Defined  as  the  “level  of  execution  of  a  task  according  to  pre-­‐determined  conditions   or   the   task-­‐performer’s   course   of   conduct”,   the   concept   of   “performance”  (Bingöl,  2003)  is  one  of  the  major  areas  of  investigation  for  contemporary  organizations  due   to   the   fast-­‐pace   of   change   that   characterizes   the   environmental   and   competitive  conditions  in  which  they  operate.    In  the  literature  review,  numerous  studies  were  found  that   investigate   the   factors   contributing   to   effective   performance   in   organizations,   the  variables   that   cause   individual   differences   in   performance,   as   well   as   the   relationship  between  performance  variables.  It  was  observed  that  there  has  been  extensive  research  on   topics   such   as   self-­‐regulation,   life-­‐satisfaction   (Kale,   2013),   emotional   intelligence,  professional  satisfaction,  organizational  citizenship  (Gürbüz,  Yüksel,  2008),  and  leadership  (Öcal,   Karakılıç,   2013;   Özdevecioğlu,   Kanıgür,   2009);   however,   only   a   limited   number   of  studies  were  conducted  on  the  impact  that  learned  resourcefulness,  which  is  considered  to  be  a  personal  factor  in  explaining  human  behavior,  had  on  performance.    Impression   Management   Tactics   -­‐   Often   times,   individuals   can   consciously   attempt   to  create   an   impression   on   others.   However,   as   individuals   are   not   able   to   always   act   in   a  goal-­‐directed  and  conscious  manner,  they  can  display  automatic  and  habitual  impression  management   behavior   (Basım,   Tatar,   2006).   As   in   all   social   environments,   people   shape  their   relationship   with   others   through   their   behaviors   in   organizational   environments.  Impression  management  constitutes  one  of  the  most  basic  steps  in  both  entering  a  new  organization  and  during  the  process  of  an  individual’s  presence  in  the  organization  (Demir,  2002).  In  impression  management,  it  is  observed  that  the  tactics  used  by  individuals  are  not  limited  to  a  certain  period  of  time  or  a  context  (Gardner,  1992),  that  same  impression  tactics   are   not   used   all   the   time   and   that   different   tactics   could   be   used   in   different  contexts   (Schutz,   1998).   The   variation   in   these   impression   tactics   could   be   due   to  differences   in   personal   traits   (Sadler   et   al.,   2010),   as   well   as   to   organizational   factors  (Drory,  Zaidman,  2007).      3.  DATA  AND  METHODOLOGY  Sampling  -­‐  One  hundred  forty-­‐two  individuals  employed  at  the  Head  Office  of  a  private  banking  institution  in  Istanbul  were  recruited  for  this  study.  The  participants  filled  out  the  surveys   under   the   researchers’   supervision.   During   the   evaluation   process,   32   of   the  surveys  were  excluded  from  the  study  due  to  errors  related  to  filling  out  the  survey,  and  the  remaining  110  were  used  for  investigation.    Measurement   Tools   -­‐   On   the   survey   form,   scales   with   adjusted   reliability   values   were  used.  Cronbach’s  alpha  values  for  each  dimension  were  calculated,  and  the  values  were  evaluated  using  the  criteria  outlined  below  (Kalaycı,  2006,  74).  Cronbach’s  Alpha=  1,000-­‐0,800  Excellent  Internal  Consistency  Cronbach’s  Alpha=  0,800-­‐0,600  Good  Internal  Consistency  Cronbach’s  Alpha=  0,600-­‐0,400  Acceptable  Internal  Consistency  Cronbach’s  Alpha=  0,400-­‐0,000  Poor/Unacceptable  Internal  Consistency  To   collect   data   on   the   learned   resourcefulness   variable,   The   “Learned   Resourcefulness  Scale”  (Dağ,  1991)  developed  by  Rosenbaum  (1980)  and  adapted  to  Turkish  by  Siva  and  Dağ  (1991)  was  used.  The  scale  consisted  of  36  statements  in  a  Likert-­‐scale  format.  Each  individual   was   able   to   get   anywhere   between   36   to   180   points,   where   higher   points  suggested  a  higher  capacity  of  self-­‐restraint  or  otherwise  stated,  a  higher  rate  of  the  use  of  the  coping  strategies  represented  in  the  scale  (Dağ,  1991).     Table  1:  The  Reliability/Internal  Consistency  of  Learned  Resourcefulness  Scale     Number   of  Items  Cronbach’s  Alpha  Reliability  Implementation  of  Planned  Behavior  4  0,979  Excellent  Internal  Consistency  4  0,862  Excellent  Internal  Consistency  Management  of  Unwanted  Thoughts  5  0,855  Excellent  Internal  Consistency

Keywords

Learned  resourcefulness, performance, impression  management