Problem Solving or Responsibility Avoidance? The Role of CEO Internal Attribution Tendency in Shaping Corporate Downsizing in Response to Performance Shortfalls
研究CEO内部归因倾向（将结果归因于内部因素）如何影响企业在绩效下滑时进行裁员，发现该倾向会增强裁员行为，尤其在CEO面临分析师关注或不利外部环境时更显著。
Abstract This study examines how CEOs' internal attribution tendency – to attribute an observed outcome to internal factors – shapes the extent to which corporate downsizing activities are driven by performance shortfalls. Despite the known effectiveness of downsizing in creating leaner organizations and enhancing firm performance, CEOs often avoid it as it runs counter to their own interests. Applying the awareness‐motivation‐capability (AMC) framework, we argue that CEOs' internal attribution tendency influences their awareness of responsibility for performance shortfalls, and ultimately whether they engage in downsizing actions in response to such shortfalls. This effect becomes more salient when CEOs have the motivation (e.g., scrutiny from financial analysts) or capability (e.g., the existence of an unfavourable external environment) to avoid taking such responsibility. Using a sample of 2424 US firms, we find support for our arguments. Our study highlights the importance of CEO internal attribution tendency in explaining whether firms resort to downsizing actions to address performance shortfalls.