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The power paradox : Implicit and explicit power motives, and the importance attached to prosocial organizational goals in SMEs

Author

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  • Hermans, Julie
  • Slabbinck, Hendrik
  • Vanderstraeten, Johanna
  • Brassey, Jacqueline

    (Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management)

  • Dejardin, Marcus
  • Ramdani, Dendi
  • van Witteloostuijn, Arjen

    (Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management)

Abstract

We examine the fundamental tension between explicit and implicit power motives; and their combined impact on the importance attached to prosocial organizational goals in small businesses (SMEs). We show that key decision-makers with a dominant implicit power motive attach more importance to the prosocial goals of job creation and taking care of the environment in their businesses. However, we reveal that this positive relationship is moderated by their explicit power motive. Once decision-makers in SMEs consciously seek for power, the positive relationship is neutralized. With these results, we highlight the conceptual and methodological differences between implicit and explicit power motives. We could obtain these results because we developed and validated an innovative implicit motive measure—the Shortened Pictorial Attitude Implicit Association Test (SPA-IAT). Contrary to the currently available implicit motive measures, the SPA-IAT is fast and easy to use and analyze, which makes this novel instrument well suited for research in business settings.
(This abstract was borrowed from another version of this item.)

Suggested Citation

  • Hermans, Julie & Slabbinck, Hendrik & Vanderstraeten, Johanna & Brassey, Jacqueline & Dejardin, Marcus & Ramdani, Dendi & van Witteloostuijn, Arjen, 2017. "The power paradox : Implicit and explicit power motives, and the importance attached to prosocial organizational goals in SMEs," Other publications TiSEM 51db3f0c-5e5f-41b1-b560-5, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    • Handle: RePEc:tiu:tiutis:51db3f0c-5e5f-41b1-b560-558dfb69da0a
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    1. Arjen van Witteloostuijn & Nele Cannaerts & Wim Coreynen & Zainab Noor el Hejazi & Joeri van Hugten & Ellen Loots & Hendrik Slabbinck & Johanna Vanderstraeten, 2020. "Co-Creative Action Research Experiments—A Careful Method for Causal Inference and Societal Impact," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-28, September.
    2. Johanna Vanderstraeten & Ellen Loots & Anais Hamelin & Arjen van Witteloostuijn, 2020. "Micro-foundations of small business internationalization: introduction to the Special Section," Post-Print hal-03015594, HAL.
    3. Radityo Putro Handrito & Hendrik Slabbinck & Johanna Vanderstraeten, 2021. "Being pro‐environmentally oriented SMEs: Understanding the entrepreneur's explicit and implicit power motives," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(5), pages 2241-2254, July.
    4. Ionela Maniu & Cătălina Costache & Dănuţ-Dumitru Dumitraşcu, 2021. "Adoption of Green Environmental Practices in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises: Entrepreneur and Business Policies Patterns in Romania," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-21, April.
    5. Wim Coreynen & Arjen van Witteloostuijn & Johanna Vanderstraeten, 2021. "Toward Servitized Research: An Integrated Approach for Sustainable Product-Service Innovation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-21, July.
    6. Radityo Putro Handrito & Hendrik Slabbinck & Johanna Vanderstraeten, 2023. "Stuck in short-term, daily operations, or not?: Unraveling SME’s long-term orientation," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 61(4), pages 1723-1745, December.
    7. Francisco Rodríguez-Cifuentes & Jesús Farfán & Gabriela Topa, 2018. "Older Worker Identity and Job Performance: The Moderator Role of Subjective Age and Self-Efficacy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-13, December.

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