meta-analysis data

Scholars have conducted numerous studies on how distal antecedents influence motivational states, subsequently affecting employee proactive work behavior. However, there is still debate about the strength of the effects different motivational states have on employee proactive behavior. This paper employs meta-analysis to explore the motivational mechanism proposed in Parker's (2010) model of proactive work behavior. It analyzes the relative strength of the effects of three motivational states—"can do," "reason to," and "energized to"—on employee proactive work behavior. Through literature screening, this study conducted a meta-analysis of 94 Chinese and English studies (with a total sample size of 30,724) that adopted Parker's theoretical model. It compared the correlations between distal antecedents, different motivational perspectives, and proactive work behavior. The results show that all three motivational states positively influence proactive work behavior. "Reason to" has a stronger effect on proactive work behavior compared to the other motivational states, and "can do" is stronger than "energized to," highlighting the importance of "reason to" in promoting employee proactive work behavior. Further discussion on this topic is provided.