Permalink : http://hdl.handle.net/2115/81930

KEYWORDS : Mindset;Individual learning;Workplace learning;Individual improvement;Job outcomes

Mindset shapes the way how individuals perceive and perform their jobs. As the growing concern for mindset theory research has captured employees’ mindsets as an important psychological state, studies tend to explore the potential link between mindsets and work-related outcomes. Based on literature review, empirical studies have investigated the relationship between different types of mindsets and work-related outcomes (e.g., growth or fixed mindset, paradox mindset, global mindset, and entrepreneurial mindset). Findings uncovered that mindsets promote employees’ positive job outcomes and personal development. Although previous research has paid attention to the critical role of employees’ mindsets in shaping their attitudes and behaviours within organizations, we still know little about how mindsets impact and could be embraced in the workplace. Particularly, individual learning is the key ingredient for organization’ success and competitive advantages in the current dynamic environment as it fosters the positive organizational outcomes (e.g., improve work process and task performance) and employee growth (e.g., acquiring knowledge and skills). Although numerous empirical studies have examined the antecedents of individual learning in different contexts and individual learning is primarily concerned with the cognition of employees, how and when mindsets influence individual learning is still not implicit. To highlight this critical gap, this paper draws on the existing literature aiming to provide a systematic review on the concept, categories, antecedents and consequences of mindsets, and its relationship with individual learning in the workplace. In doing so, such review help scholars better understand how mindset theory can be applied in the organizations and increase the link between mindsets and individual learning. Therefore, this article builds the foundation for the future research on employees’ mindsets and work environment, as well as sheds lights on management practices or training for human resources management regarding the impact of mindsets on promoting individual learning in the workplace.