Abstract:
The aims of this study were to investigate the relationship between organizational
support perceptions and personal growth initiative levels of the faculty members
working in Turkey and to examine the effect of self-efficacy perceptions in this
relationship. The study was designed as a relational survey model. 346 faculty
members from public universities in Turkey comprised the participants. The data was
collected with General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES), Perceived Organizational Support
Scale (POSS), Personal Growth Initiative Scale-II (PGIS-II). Descriptive analyses and
structural equation modeling (SEM) was applied to examine the structural relations
among the variables. It was observed that faculty members’ organizational support
perceptions had a significant direct effect on their personal growth initiative levels;
organizational support perceptions had a significant effect on general self-efficacy
beliefs; and the effect of general self-efficacy beliefs on personal growth initiative
levels was significant. It was evidenced that faculty members’ self-efficacy beliefs fully
mediated the relationship between perceived organizational support and personal
growth initiative levels. These results are in line with the principles of Organizational
Support Theory and Social Cognitive Theory. More research explaining the effect of
organizational factors on self-efficacy and personal growth initiative is needed.
