Open Access

Patrizia Zampella

• This thesis investigates the individual and combined effects of a feedback source’s perceived power position and competence on feedback acceptance, utilizing a quasi-experimental survey. 122 current and former university students were subjected to one of four hypothetical feedback scenarios, wherein the feedback source’s description varied by perceived power position (low vs. high) and perceived competence (low vs. high). The manipulation check demonstrated that the manipulations were successful. Consistent with the hypotheses derived from the reviewed literature, the perceived power position was found to have a strong positive influence on feedback acceptance, independent of perceived competence. Furthermore, the positive impact of perceived competence on feedback acceptance was observed to be moderate under low-power conditions. However, this effect became negligible when the feedback source held a high-power position. These findings, along with their implications for organizational feedback practices are discussed in this thesis. A particular focus is placed on the importance of managing power dynamics to enhance the effectiveness of feedback.