Determinants of integrity in upward feedback

Abstract

This research investigated whether the same attributes that cause managers to improve performance following upward feedback also encourage subordinates to give open and honest upward feedback. By proving that these attributes encourage integrity in upward feedback, this research allows organisations to freely implement programmes to increase the desired attributes among employees without fear of jeopardising the desired integrity of the feedback.Three hundred and twenty eight employees of a prominent South African company gave an indication of the levels of self-efficacy, learning goal orientation, organisational cynicism and integrity of upward feedback in the organisation. Statistical testing carried out on the resulting data then gave an indication of the relationships between the above-mentioned attributes or variables.It was found that there is a positive relationship between self-efficacy and upward feedback integrity, a positive relationship between learning goal orientation and upward feedback integrity and a strong negative relationship between organisational cynicism and upward feedback integrity. These results confirm that organisations can promote the attributes of self-efficacy and learning goal orientation in their employees without fear of jeopardising integrity in their upward feedback process. Conversely, the amount of organisational cynicism must be reduced wherever possible as it acts against the upward feedback mechanism.