Considering rational self-interest as a disposition: organizational implications of other orientation

In contrast with major theories of attitudes and behavior, the authors propose that individuals are not equally motivated to pursue their self-interests. The authors show that differences in other orientation affect the extent to which actions and attitudes reflect self-interested calculation (instrumental rationality) and the extent to which beliefs represent their external environment (epistemic rationality). These differences have consequences for processes underlying a wide range of attitudes and behavior typically assumed to be rationally self-interested. Thus, the authors' model exposes a common explanation for diverse organizational phenomena. It also clarifies inconsistencies surrounding the validity of certain attitudinal and motivational models, the relationship between job attitudes and actions, cross-cultural differences in attitudes and behavior, escalation of commitment, and the relationship between chief executive officer characteristics and organizational performance.     

The Effect of Other-Oriented Values on Decision Making: A Test of Propositions of a Theory of Concern for Others in Organizations

Based on recent theoretical work by Simon (1990, 1993), we proposed that the value of concern for others would reflect a general process whereby individuals place less value on personal outcomes and are less disposed to engage in rational calculations involving costs and benefits. We conducted two studies to examine whether these mechanisms generalize to situations that do not involve helping others. In the first study, persons high in concern for others were less attracted to choices involving the prospect of personal gain and were less discerning about the value and risk involved in making choices than were individuals low in concern for others. The second study showed that positive affective arousal, which is likely to focus attention on personal concerns, moderated the effects observed in the first study. Results suggest that other-oriented values such as concern for others may have a substantial impact on a wide range of organizational processes beyond helping.     

Considering situational and dispositional approaches to rational self-interest: an extension and response to de Dreu (2006)

The authors respond to C. K. W. De Dreu's (2006) critique of their article (B. M. Meglino & M. A. Korsgaard, 2004) published in the special section on Theoretical Models and Conceptual Analyses of the Journal of Applied Psychology. They maintain that De Dreu misinterprets their definitions and the psychological processes they addressed and thus raises a number of issues that are not relevant to their model. Meglino and Korsgaard's model focuses on the distinction between rational self-interest and other orientation, whereas the approach taken by De Dreu focuses on the distinction between rational self-interest and collective rationality. In this response, the authors clarify this distinction, address discrepancies between these two approaches, consider the effect of goals and rationality on other orientated behavior, and suggest directions for future research.     

The transitivity of work values: Hierarchical preference ordering of socially desirable stimuli

This research investigated whether or not subjects could logically preference order work values. It is important to a hierarchical conception of work values that individuals exhibit transitivity in their expressed preferences, especially as all work values are considered to be highly socially desirable, and thus, importance ratings may lack variance between values. In Study 1, 97 subjects pair-compared eight values. In Study 2, 86 subjects pair-compared different behaviors that represented four work values. In both cases, subjects exhibited total transitivity in their choices more often than could be predicted by chance, and most intransitivities met at a minimum the criteria of weak Stochastic transitivity.