Differential implications of team member promotive and prohibitive voice on innovation performance in research and development project teams: A dialectic perspective
Abstract
Summary: How and when does team member voice facilitate team innovation? Integrating research on member voice and a dialectic perspective of innovation, we advance a model in which team member promotive voice enhances team innovation through team knowledge utilization, whereas team member prohibitive voice enhances team innovation through team reflexivity in a nonlinear fashion. We further propose that the differential effects of team member promotive and prohibitive voice will be stronger at different stages (idea generation vs. idea implementation) of the innovation cycle. Survey data from 78 research and development project teams showed a positive indirect effect between team member promotive voice and team innovation through team knowledge utilization, although this relationship was also mediated through team reflexivity. Moreover, the indirect effect of team member promotive voice on team innovation via team knowledge utilization was stronger for teams in the idea generation stage of team innovation. Results also confirmed a nonlinear indirect relationship between team member prohibitive voice and team innovation via team reflexivity such that the positive effects of team member prohibitive voice tapered off at high levels. Contrary to our expectations, the effects of prohibitive voice held regardless of stage. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
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Prior research has largely emphasized promotive voice while underexploring the unique antecedents and mechanisms that facilitate or hinder prohibitive voice.
“prior research has largely emphasized promotive voice—such as innovative suggestions or constructive ideas—while underexploring the unique antecedents and mechanisms that facilitate or hinder prohibitive voice3–8.”
From Leader prohibitive voice shapes employee voice through psychological safety moderated by self-efficacy and generational differences (2025) · cites this paper as [5]
Prohibitive voice entails greater psychological risk and ambiguity than promotive voice.
“This limited attention is particularly problematic given that prohibitive voice entails greater psychological risk and ambiguity5,7,13.”
From Leader prohibitive voice shapes employee voice through psychological safety moderated by self-efficacy and generational differences (2025) · cites this paper as [5]
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- Authors
- Liang, J., Shu, R., & Farh, C. I. C.
- Affiliations
- Tongji University (CN)
- Shanghai University of Finance and Economics (CN)
- University of Washington (US)
- Corresponding author
- Liang, Jian
- Venue
- Journal of Organizational Behavior
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2018-10
- Volume
- 40
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 91-104
- ISSN
- 0894-3796 (ISSN-L)
- 1099-1379
- OpenAlex
- W2895065679
- Cited by
- 124
- References
- 67
- Citations by year
- 2026: 10 · 2025: 26 · 2024: 27 · 2023: 16 · 2022: 19 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 4
- FWCI
- 8.80
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Organizational Behavior (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Natural Science Foundation of China (71572111)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Team Dynamics and Performance
- Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Strategy and Management › Innovation and Knowledge Management
- Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Job Satisfaction and Organizational Behavior
- Keywords
- promotive voice, prohibitive voice, team innovation, R&D teams, team reflexivity, idea generation, idea implementation, nonlinear effects
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