The Moderating Role of Updating Climate Perceptions in the Relationship Between Goal Orientation, Self-Efficacy, and Job Performance

This field study examined the moderating role of employees' climate for updating perceptions in the relationship between goal orientation and job performance. Results are based on a sample of 163 information systems professionals employed by a large information technology (IT) firm. After controlling for the effect of previous performance ratings, learning-goal orientation was positively related to learning self-efficacy and performance-goal orientation was negatively related to efficacy beliefs, which in turn were positively related to job-performance ratings. Most important, the relationship between learning-goal orientation and overall job-performance ratings, mediated by learning self-efficacy, was stronger for individuals who perceived a supportive organizational climate for updating than for those with low updating climate perceptions. The results of this study advance our understanding of goal orientation, self-efficacy, and performance relationships not only because they are based on adults working in a dynamic field setting, but also because they demonstrate the moderating influence of employees' updating climate perceptions.