Can Multiple Goal Conflicts Affect the Innovative Behaviour of Employees?

This study investigates how multiple simultaneously pursued conflicting goals impact the levels of exploration and exploitation behaviour of the employees. Multiple goal theory is silent on predicting the outcomes of multiple goal conflicts on individuals exploration and exploitation behaviour when more than two goals are followed concurrently through different hierarchical levels in large firms. We use a multilevel survey to examine the relationship between four different operational goals (safety, availability, environment, innovation) that employees have to persecute coinstantaneous and the individuals innovative behaviour in a large energy company. Theories of paradox mindset and top management team alignment were included to moderate the relationships at individual level and team level. We found that goal conflicts negatively impact employees exploitation behaviour and that paradox mindset reduces goal conflicts on exploration behaviour. We extend current theories on multiple goals by showing how multiple goal conflicts shape individuals innovative behaviour under different organizational levels. In addition, theory on employees antecedents for individuals exploration and exploitation behaviour is also advanced by illustrating new insights by goal setting considerations.