The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of self-efficacy, process feedback and task complexity on decisions by managers to continue or discontinue a new product after receiving negative performance feedback.
This paper uses a classroom experiment design and uses logistic regression and a chi-square test to analyze the data.
The findings of this paper show that self-efficacy, process feedback and task complexity have not only main effects but also interactive effects on managers’ go or no-go decisions; further, the main effects are mediated by interactions. The effect of self-efficacy is moderated by process feedback and task complexity. Process feedback and task complexity also have an interactive effect on decisions about new products by decision-makers.
This paper extends the theory of escalation of commitment (EOC) by showing that self-efficacy, process feedback and task complexity can influence decision-makers’ go or no-go decisions after they have received negative performance feedback.
This paper provides useful guidelines for managers on how to reduce the likelihood of EOC.
The originality and value of this paper lie in its being the first to examine the effects of process feedback and task complexity on the EOC.
