PERSONAL INITIATIVE AT WORK - DIFFERENCES BETWEEN EAST AND WEST-GERMANY

Personal initiative, a concept akin to entrepreneurship and organizati onal spontaneity, was compared in East and West Germany, Differences w ere hypothesized to be the results of occupational socialization, part icularly of work control and complexity, rather than of a selection ef fect. A representative longitudinal study was conducted in the East an d a cross-sectional study in the West. Lower initiative at work was fo und in the East; control and complexity affected changes in initiative , The results speak for socialization and against selection.