Training and Diffusion of Change: The Impact of Training and Proactivity on Change-Related Advice Giving:

This study investigates the effects of organizational change-related training on the diffusion of change through the employee advice network. It also examines the contribution of employee proactivity to the effects of that training. We compare trainees (N = 46) and nontrained peers (N = 47) doing similar work at pre- and posttest to examine how training and individual proactivity contribute to the change process. Results indicate that training is associated with increased change-related knowledge and skills and greater change-related advice giving (i.e., in-degree centrality). Additionally, proactivity is positively related to change-related advice giving and seeking (i.e., in- and out-degree centrality). Our findings also show that the effect of training on change-related advice giving is stronger for more proactive trainees than less proactive ones. We discuss our study's theoretical and practical implications for both organizational change and employee proactivity.