The effect of culture on the curvilinear relationship between performance and turnover

J Appl Psychol. 2012 Jan;97(1):46-62. doi: 10.1037/a0024868. Epub 2011 Oct 24.

Abstract

Although researchers have theorized that there exists a curvilinear relationship between job performance and voluntary turnover, their research has been tested in the United States or culturally similar Switzerland. Through a study of the performance-turnover relationship from a multinational service-oriented organization in 24 countries, we demonstrate that the general relationship between performance and turnover is similar across countries but the details of that relationship change across countries. Using 4 cultural dimensions--in-group collectivism, power distance, uncertainty avoidance, and performance orientation--we find that cultural factors alter the overall probability of voluntary turnover and influence the degree of curvilinearity in the performance-turnover relationship. Our findings have implications for research on the performance-turnover relationship, turnover research, and practice.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Asia / ethnology
  • Australia / ethnology
  • Cross-Cultural Comparison
  • Employee Performance Appraisal
  • Employment / psychology*
  • Europe / ethnology
  • Female
  • Group Processes
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Models, Psychological
  • North America / ethnology
  • Organizational Culture
  • Personal Satisfaction*
  • Personnel Turnover*
  • Power, Psychological*
  • Psychological Distance
  • Psychological Theory
  • South America / ethnology