Broadening the Positive Psychological Capital Construct: An Asian Cultural Perspective

Abstract

Asian management thinkers and academician have called for Asian management researchers to employ Asian thought and culture in research (Fang, 2010; Meyer, 2006; Zhang, Waldman, Han, & Li, 2015). In view of these scholarly calls, this research aimed at, firstly, validating the positive psychological capital construct within work settings of Pakistan; secondly, broadening the positive psychological capital construct through adding dimensions of wisdom and gratitude that are typified in the Asian collectivist culture with the purpose of augmenting organisational behaviour theory and practice, specifically within Asia. Data were obtained from 285 employees working in the telecommunication industry. Analytical procedures involved gauging the construct’s psychometric properties using factor analysis procedures. In line with expectations, results confirmed validation of the positive psychological capital construct in the Pakistani context. Results also revealed that wisdom and gratitude are indeed dimensions of the positive psychological capital construct. This study mainly confirms the psychological capital construct within Pakistan and also broadens the construct by identifying and testing for additional positive strengths, rooted in the Asian culture, that compose this construct. Additional theoretical/academic implications and notable strengths and limitations of the study are provided at the end.