Effect of Proactive Information Seeking on Role Clarity -Quantitative Analysis of Chinese Newcomers-

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine how proactive information seeking influences role clarity of newcomers in China, which is a society with high tolerance for ambiguity and high degree of power distance. We focused on the information content of proactive information seeking. We examined the effects of role behavior information seeking, role expectation information seeking and performance feedback seeking on role clarity, and the mediation effect of LMX on these relationships. We conducted an online questionnaire survey of 207 Chinese newcomers. As a result of multiple regression analysis and bootstrapping test, role behavior information seeking and performance feedback seeking were positively related to role clarity. A partial mediation effect of LMX was found between role behavior information seeking and role clarity. A complete mediation effect of LMX was found between performance feedback seeking, role expectation information seeking and role clarity.