Abstract
Research on proactive behavior has identified proactive personality and antecedents of several behaviors that are considered as proactive. Recent research, however, raises concerns about absence of research on management of proactive behavior. Many of research on proactive behavior had focused only employee’s behavior. They doesn’t consider about the relationship between proactive behavior and organization whole or organizational output. It means that existing research lacks a view point of the management of these behaviors. Without perspective of the management, proactive behavior will become selfish and dogmatic behavior, in turn, have negative effect on organization. This problem causes a problem that is called “Initiative Paradox.” This problem explains that manager or supervisor does not always support proactive behavior. In turn, we have to identify what kind of proactive behavior will have an impact on organization. The inquiry of theoretical and empirical relationship between proactive behavior and organization is next challenge to be addressed by future research. In this research, we develop a theoretical perspective on the proactive behavior in organization. In order to integrate proactive behavior to organization, we revisit original goal of proactive behavior research firstly. Secondly, we employ system theory as theoretical foundation of proactive behavior research. Drawing from system theory, especially from socio-technical system, we discuss how proactive behavior is defined in organizational context and how proactive behavior can be a resource of organizational adaptation. Considering this theoretical premise, we conclude by offering future research directions.
