Defensive decision making: Operationalization and the relevance of psychological safety and job insecurity from a conservation of resources perspective

Defensive decision making occurs when the decision-maker does not choose option that is in best interest of an organization or client but instead chooses a less effective lower risk alternative protects him her case something goes wrong. Such decisions are widespread across occupations and sectors cause substantive damage to organizations. In first step, we developed scale measure defensive test its validity. The covers two distinct related dimensions: avoidance approach. subsequent, two-wave study, examined antecedents using conservation resources theory as theoretical lens. An environment characterized by higher psychological safety can reduce resource depletion diminishes making. contrast, job insecurity result threat personal resources, which increases likelihood employees decision​s. Practitioners points People engage means protect their own from exhaustion. Organizations number enhancing situational such safety. short preliminarily validated be used make visible