Although managers’ perceptions are core to the Performance Feedback Theory, few empirical studies measure managerial perceptions of their organization’s performance and theorize on the (in)consistency between perceptual and objective performance feedback. Based on longitudinal survey data of Canadian organizations, we examine how this (in)consistency affects the propensity for innovation in organizations. Our analysis broadly validates that inconsistency between the two types of feedback it dampens innovation. Second, positive perceptions strengthen the relationship between positive objective performance feedback and innovation, leading to increased innovation, whereas negative perceptions strengthen the relationship between negative performance feedback and innovation, echoing the problemistic search hypothesis. We also find that perceptions moderate the effect of objective performance feedback differently in the social and historical dimensions as well above and below the aspiration thresholds.

尽管经理的感知是绩效反馈理论的核心，但很少有实证研究衡量管理人员对其组织绩效的感知，并对感知和客观绩效反馈之间的（不）一致性进行理论分析。根据加拿大组织的纵向调查数据，我们研究了这种（不）一致性如何影响组织的创新倾向。我们的分析广泛地证实了这两种反馈之间的不一致会阻碍创新。其次，积极的认知加强了积极的客观绩效反馈与创新之间的关系，导致创新增加，而消极的认知加强了消极的绩效反馈与创新之间的关系，呼应了问题搜索假说。