Despite the recognition of the importance of organizational reputation, our understanding of how organizations can overcome an unfavorable reputation to achieve recruitment success is incomplete. Drawing from social identity theory, the reputation repair literature, and signaling theory, we investigated the influence of two recruitment messages (serving the public's interest and employee development opportunities) on job seekers' job pursuit intentions for organizations operating in a negative reputation industry. To do so, we conducted two online experiments – one using a fictitious context and student job seekers and the other using actual companies and more experienced job seekers. The results show that recruitment messages focused on serving the public's interests enhanced employer reputation and job seekers' expected pride from organizational membership, and recruitment messages focused on employee development opportunities enhanced employer reputation and job seekers' expected organization-based self-esteem. The effects of the recruitment messages on job pursuit intentions were mediated by enhanced employer reputation, expected pride from organizational membership, and expected organization-based self-esteem. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Despite the recognition of the benefits of employees’ informal learning, we have a limited understanding of its potential “dark side”. Based on an integration of social exchange and conservation of resources theory, this study examines why and when informal learning is positively related to employees’ organizational deviance and negatively related to their job performance. The results of three online surveys show that employees’ informal learning is positively related to emotional exhaustion when role ambiguity is high, which in turn results in increased organizational deviance and decreased job performance. This study contributes to a more complete view of informal learning, a broader understanding of learning outcomes, and a balanced view of positive organizational behavior in the workplace. Implications of these findings for future research and practice are discussed.

Colquitt et al. (Journal of Applied Psychology, 2000, 85, p. 678) integrative theory based on meta-analysis and model testing has served as the foundation for our understanding of training motivation. However, the applicability of the theory today may be limited for several reasons. There has been significant growth in training motivation research since Colquitt et al. (Journal of Applied Psychology, 2000, 85, p. 678) proposed and tested their theory. Also, advances in meta-analysis and model testing allow for a more complete and rigorous test of the theory than was previously possible. As a result, we propose and test a contemporary and comprehensive theory of training motivation based on Colquitt et al. (Journal of Applied Psychology, 2000, 85, p. 678) and other studies conducted over the last 20 years. To do so, we conducted an updated meta-analytic review of 167 independent studies and tested a mediation model of training motivation theory using both conventional meta-analytic structural equation modeling (MASEM) and full-information MASEM (FIMASEM). The results support a partially mediated model of training motivation that includes additional antecedents (e.g., openness to experience, extroversion, agreeableness, and goal orientation) and learning outcomes (e.g., turnover intentions and job satisfaction) not included in Colquitt et al. (Journal of Applied Psychology, 2000, 85, p. 678). In addition, we conducted exploratory analyses to understand the relative importance of the antecedents of both motivation to learn and learning outcomes and the moderating role of training and studying characteristics on the relationships between motivation to learn and its antecedents and consequences. Finally, the authors discuss the implications of the results for theory, practice, and future research directions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to advance our understanding of how psychological capital (PsyCap) influences job performance. The authors do so through adopting a moderated mediation framework. Specifically, the authors investigate the mediation role of informal learning in the PsyCap–job performance relationship and the moderating role of person–environment fit, i.e. the extent to which individual and organizational characteristics are compatible, in influencing the mediation.Design/methodology/approachThe final sample consisted of 221 employees and their supervisors in South Korea.FindingsThe authors found that PsyCap had an indirect effect on job performance through informal learning. Moreover, the indirect effect of PsyCap on job performance through informal learning became stronger with low levels of person–organization (PO) and person–job (PJ) fit.Research limitations/implicationsThe authors cannot completely rule out the effects of common method bias due to the cross-sectional research design.Practical implicationsThe results reinforce the need for managers to understand employees’ level of PsyCap and take actions to enhance it because PsyCap can affect the extent to which individuals engage in informal learning, which in turn influences their job performance.Originality/valueThis paper adds to our understanding of the mechanisms and boundary conditions responsible for the PsyCap–job performance relationship. The authors found that informal learning operates as a mediator and both PO and PJ fit moderate the PsyCap–job performance relationship.

A series of trends shaping the current workplace has changed the nature of human capital development practice to be more employee-driven. However, existing development research does not fully account for this shift and the anticipated benefits of employee-driven development. In this review we reflect on the current state of the employee development literature and propose a new, broader conceptualization of employee development characterized by a partnership between the employer and employee. In doing so, we offer three recommendations for how research needs to evolve to align employee development scholarship with current practices: (1) incorporate proactivity in the definition of employee development, (2) update the context for learning, and, (3) think differently about how human capital is valued. We suggest ways in which theory can be extended for increasing our understanding of several commonly used employee-driven development methods. Finally, we provide future research questions and practical suggestions based on our new conceptualization of employee development.

The role of fun features in training has yet to be systematically examined from an academic perspective. The purpose of this paper is to aid academic research and training practice by addressing four important issues. First, we discuss the meaning of fun in the context of workplace training. Second, we review and critique the existing research on fun features in training. Third, based on Kahn's (1990) theory of psychological engagement, we propose a conceptual model to guide research to help increase our understanding of the role of fun features in training. Fourth, we discuss opportunities for future research as well as practical implications and caveats. Our intent is to provide a stronger theoretical basis for understanding and researching fun features in training and to provide more nuanced guidance for training practice.

Based on a meta-analytic review of 168 independent studies, we provide an updated model of training motivation. Our results largely support Colquitt et al.’s (2000) integrative theory of training motivation but suggest the nomological network should be expanded to include additional antecedents (e.g., goal orientation, openness to experience, extraversion, agreeableness) and outcomes (e.g., affective commitment, turnover intentions). Moreover, meta-analytic structural equation modeling (MASEM) supported our contemporary model of training motivation and showed that self-efficacy, organizational commitment, and job involvement had the strongest relationship with motivation to learn. The implications of the results for theory, practice, and future research are discussed.

The role of fun features in training has yet to be systematically examined from an academic perspective. The purpose of this paper is to aid academic research and training practice by addressing four important issues. First, we discuss the meaning of fun in the context of workplace training. Second, we review and critique the existing research on fun features in training. Third, based on Kahn's (1990) theory of psychological engagement, we propose a conceptual model to guide research to help increase our understanding of the role of fun features in training. Fourth, we discuss opportunities for future research as well as practical implications and caveats. Our intent is to provide a stronger theoretical basis for understanding and researching fun features in training and to provide more nuanced guidance for training practice.

There has been an increased recognition of the frequency of learning that is self-directed, socially affected, and naturally occurring in the workplace. Yet, we still lack a comprehensive and holistic understanding of learning that occurs outside of the scope of formal training and development programs. In this study, we focused on autonomous learning, based on the conceptualization provided by Noe & Ellingson (2017) and Kraiger (2017). We used a qualitative approach including secondary data from different sources and primary data from12 in-depth interviews to examine autonomous learning. We identified autonomous learning types and tactics and developed a conceptual model of the antecedents and consequences of autonomous learning including the conditions that inhibit or facilitate it. The theoretical and practical implications of the study results, the study limitations, and future research questions are discussed.

The authors conduct three studies to systematically examine how avoiding and learning goal orientation (AGO and LGO) influence relationships between perceived demands-abilities (DA) fit and critical outcomes during three organizational entry stages. Study 1, a multi-level study using a series of mock job advertisements, shows that participant likelihood of applying for jobs for which they perceive higher DA fit increases when AGO is stronger. Study 2 finds a stronger positive relationship between perceived DA fit and internship satisfaction among interns with a stronger AGO. Study 3 finds a stronger positive relationship between perceived DA fit and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) among new organizational entrants with a stronger AGO. Implications and future research directions regarding the importance of goal orientation during job search and organizational entry are discussed.

Training and development research has a long tradition within applied psychology dating back to the early 1900s. Over the years, not only has interest in the topic grown but there have been dramatic changes in both the science and practice of training and development. In the current article, we examine the evolution of training and development research using articles published in the Journal of Applied Psychology (JAP) as a primary lens to analyze what we have learned and to identify where future research is needed. We begin by reviewing the timeline of training and development research in JAP from 1918 to the present in order to elucidate the critical trends and advances that define each decade. These trends include the emergence of more theory-driven training research, greater consideration of the role of the trainee and training context, examination of learning that occurs outside the classroom, and understanding training's impact across different levels of analysis. We then examine in greater detail the evolution of 4 key research themes: training criteria, trainee characteristics, training design and delivery, and the training context. In each area, we describe how the focus of research has shifted over time and highlight important developments. We conclude by offering several ideas for future training and development research.

Although research has demonstrated that workplace fun has important benefits, we have an incomplete understanding of the role of fun in the learning domain, especially informal learning. To address this need, the present study examined the influence of fun activities and manager support for fun on informal learning among 206 managers. Fun activities were significantly related to overall informal learning, but manager support for fun was not. Examination of the dimensions of informal learning found that manager support for fun was significantly related to learning from oneself, while fun activities were significantly related to learning from others and learning from non-interpersonal sources. Furthermore, a negative interaction between core-self evaluations and fun activities in predicting learning from oneself was found, suggesting that fun may not be beneficial for all individuals. The key practical implication is that organizations should consider fun as a viable strategy to promote informal learning beyond traditional learning supports. At the same time, organizations should consider the personality of their learners to ensure fun has its intended impact.

This paper identifies the recruitment messaging strategies that organizations with a negative employer reputation due to their industry could use to attract job seekers. Drawing on the social judgment dimensions that extended from differentiated bias theories and social identity theory, I propose organizations with an employer reputation of operating in a negative reputation industry are unattractive employers due to the low warmth-related traits perceived by job seekers. On the basis of reputation repair literature and social identity theory, I propose two recruitment messaging strategies and introduce a model of the underlying psychological mechanisms responsible for their influences on job seekers’ job pursuit intentions and application decisions. Specifically, the first recruitment messaging strategy is to provide information on organizations’ commitment and behaviors to serve the public’s interests. Job seekers’ expected pride from organizational membership is the underlying psychological mechanism responsible for this strategy’s influence on their job pursuit intentions and application decisions. The second recruitment messaging strategy is to provide information on organizations’ commitment and behaviors to provide intensive employee development opportunities. Job seekers’ expected organization-based self-esteem is the underlying psychological mechanism responsible for this strategy’s influence on their job pursuit intentions and application decisions.

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts covered in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book provides a unique perspective on autonomous learning. It investigates how individuals engage in vicarious learning from others' experiences at work. The book presents a social learning theory-based framework of the conditions that enable an agentic vicarious learning process. Based on experiential learning theory, it emphasizes that the breadth and depth of cultural experience is key for developing cultural intelligence. The book addresses individual, job/firm, and broader environmental factors that facilitate or inhibit individuals' decisions to engage in different types of autonomous learning. It discusses the critical role that high-quality feedback plays in effective autonomous learning. The book reflects on a variety of individual and organizational factors that influence autonomous learning. It shows that autonomous learning is a pervasive phenomenon, one that leads to ability and skill development as a function of a variety of factors.

Research focusing on how individual differences and the work context influence informal learning is growing but incomplete. This study contributes to our understanding of the antecedents of informal learning by examining the relationships of goal orientation, job autonomy and training climate with informal learning. Based on trait activation theory, this study examines how job autonomy and training climate, two work context factors, affect the influence of individuals’ goal orientation on informal learning. The sample included managers from a national restaurant chain in the United states. Higher levels of learning goal orientation, job autonomy and a supportive training climate were found to result in more informal learning. Congruent with trait activation theory, training climate moderated the goal orientation‐informal learning relationship, but not in the expected direction for avoid goal orientation. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.

This study examines how protégés in a formal mentoring program can influence mentoring functions received from mentors. Drawing from the proactivity dynamics framework and mentoring and proactivity research, we investigate the relationship between protégés’ previous mentoring experience, their information seeking behavior, and the mentoring functions received. We also examine the moderating effect of mentors’ mentoring self-efficacy on the relationship between information seeking and mentoring functions received. Data were collected at two points in time from 137 mentoring dyads participating in a formal mentoring program for new hires in China. We found that although protégés were more likely to seek job-related than career-related information from their mentors, career-related information seeking resulted in protégés receiving more mentoring functions. Also, we found support for a moderated mediation model. Specifically, protégés with fewer previous mentoring relationships were more likely to seek career-related information from their current mentors, which in turn, resulted in more mentoring functions received. Mentors’ mentoring self-efficacy moderated the relationship between career-related information seeking and two types of mentoring functions (career-related support and role modeling). The implications of these results for research and practice are discussed.

The success of strategic alliances depends on alliance teams defined as inter-organisational groups who are charged with developing new ideas, products, and services. This study investigates the effects of one type of shared mental model - team strategic knowledge mental model (shared understanding about the interactions between team) - team communication, and collective efficacy, on alliance team effectiveness. Team development stage and top management involvement were examined as moderators. Study participants included alliance team members, team leaders, and executives in twenty-two alliance teams involved in fifteen strategic alliances. Results showed a positive relationship between the strategic knowledge mental model and team performance. Also, the team communication-performance relationship was moderated by top management involvement. The implications of the results for research and practice are discussed.

Existing research on informal learning has been largely descriptive, anecdotal, and relatively limited regarding its antecedents. This study represents a step forward towards addressing this gap in the training and development literature by examining the relationships of work–family conflict and core self‐evaluations with informal learning among managers. The sample included 225 managers companywide from a casual‐theme restaurant chain in the United States. The results demonstrated that time‐based work interference with family conflict (WIF) had a negative relationship with informal learning, but core self‐evaluations had a positive relationship. Further, core self‐evaluations moderated the WIF–informal learning relationship. Counter to the hypothesized relationship, managers higher in core self‐evaluations engaged in less informal learning as work–family conflict increased. This study broadens the nomological network of informal learning and highlights that organizations need to limit time demands at work that cause work–family conflict to facilitate managers’ informal learning.Practitioner points Limit work–family conflict so managers have the time to invest in informal learning in addition to their family and own recovery. Provide managers with skills in time management and goal setting and provide support necessary to encourage informal learning.