Whatʹs in it for me? Using expectancy theory and climate to explain stakeholder participation, its direction and intensity

Expectancy theory explains motivation on the degree to which an effort is perceived to lead to performance, performance leads to rewards, and the rewards offered are desirable. In this article, we draw on expectancy theory along with psychological and organizational climate research to understand whether and to what degree stakeholders will participate in the implementation of project management systems and complimentary software technologies. We contend that psychological and organizational climate influence perceptions relevant to expectancy, that in turn determine: a) whether or not stakeholders will participate in a project, b) whether they will help or harm the project, and c) whether a stakeholder is motivated to complete these actions. Data for the article is from three in-depth case studies. Results support that stakeholders assess the direction and strength of the psychological climate and that their assessments shape their motivation to participate in active support, token support, or counter-implementation actions.