The concept of personal initiative: Operationalization, reliability and validity in two German samples

Abstract

Personal initiative is conceptualized as a behavioural syndrome made up of several factors. It is important for organizational effectiveness and is one aspect of ‘contextual performance’. The construct validity of a set of interview‐ and questionnaire‐based scales for measuring initiative was ascertained in interrelated studies (two waves from a longitudinal study in East Germany [ N = 543] and a cross‐sectional study in West Germany [ N = 160]). As hypothesized, initiative correlated with partners' assessments, need for achievement, action orientation, problem‐focused and passive emotion‐focused coping, career planning and executing plans, but not with job satisfaction. Higher initiative existed in small‐scale entrepreneurs in the East and in those unemployed who got a job more quickly.