How much information to consider when choosing action to change? The impact of managers’ promotion versus prevention focus
Journal of Managerial Psychology
ISSN: 0268-3946
Article publication date: 20 February 2024
Issue publication date: 11 March 2024
Abstract
Purpose
This research sought to understand better how readily managers choose action to change the status quo. Specifically, in experimentally manipulated ambiguous situations, I examined the effect of managers’ promotion and prevention focus on how much information they wish to review to help them choose.
Design/methodology/approach
I developed a novel experimental paradigm and applied it in a sample of 157 managers. Managers faced choosing action (change the status quo) versus non-action (keep the status quo), and I test under which circumstances they want to review more information that they believe will help them choose effectively.
Findings
The experiment showed evidence that (1) managers with a prevention focus want to review more information when they are trying to assure that they do not choose action erroneously; (2) managers with a promotion focus want to review more information when they are trying to assure that they do not choose non-action erroneously.
Originality/value
This research provides an original perspective on a managerial decision-making phenomenon. It goes beyond managers’ choice preferences to examine a practically relevant outcome of the process of deliberating about taking action to change the status quo.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The author expresses gratitude to Raphael Lentiez for his efforts in designing the main experiment and collecting the data, and to Liselotte Hoppe for her efforts in designing and collecting data for the pilot experiment. The author expresses gratitude to Maxim Laurijssen for help in the design of the pilot experiment. The author thanks Giverny De Boeck, Martin Storme, and Felipe Guzman for helpful comments on earlier drafts.
Citation
Hamstra, M.R.W. (2024), "How much information to consider when choosing action to change? The impact of managers’ promotion versus prevention focus", Journal of Managerial Psychology, Vol. 39 No. 2, pp. 202-214. https://doi.org/10.1108/JMP-08-2023-0430
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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