Relationship Between Psychological Capital and Goal Orientation: Banking Sector in Sri Lanka

The positive psychology movement has gained much attention in the recent past, well beyond the discipline of traditional psychology. Before the emergence of positive psychology, researches have been focused on negatively oriented factors of employees on work outcomes and behaviors. Psychological capital draws from positive psychology in positive organizational behavior. Goal orientation has emerged as a prominent theory in organizational psychology that explains the behavior and performance of employees. In the banking sector in Sri Lanka, relationship between psychological capital and goal orientation is insufficiently unexplored. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between Psychological Capital and Goal Orientation. For the study 168 managers were selected using Stratified Proportionate Random sampling method. Collected data were analyzed using correlation coefficient analysis and multiple regression analysis. It was discovered that, significant positive relationship between psychological capital and goal orientation. Also found that significant positive relationship between psychological capital dimensions (self-efficacy, hope, optimism and resilience) and goal orientation. Findings of this study contribute to current insights about the interrelationships on manager’s psychological capital and goal orientation, showing the importance of improving within organizational behavior.