In business environments characterized by rapid technological advancement and intense competitive pressure, a sense of urgency has been identified as a critical motivational force that fosters collaboration and innovation. However, the concept of a sense of urgency has often overlapped with other negative emotional states, leading to conceptual ambiguity. Accordingly, this research project first aims to conduct a comprehensive literature review and engage in expert consultations to clarify the definition of a sense of urgency, identify its dimensions, and develop its measurement scale. Based on these efforts, a sense of urgency is defined as a psychological state in which individuals feel compelled to take immediate action on important matters due to the anticipation of negative consequences. This construct is distinguished from related concepts such as anxiety and fear by its emphasis on temporal immediacy and change-oriented actions, together with the expectation of adverse outcomes if action is delayed. Subsequently, a pool of approximately 30 items was developed to measure the sense of urgency at the individual level. Tentative sample items include “I feel a need to take immediate action to change my current situation at work” and “I believe that procrastination may lead to problems in the future”.

Prior research suggests that employees’ sense of urgency can be cultivated through managerial actions, such as setting challenging goals and visualizing the negative consequences of inaction. However, sustaining a sense of urgency remains challenging, as it tends to diminish following short-term successes that increase satisfaction and complacency. Accordingly, the second aim of this project is to examine the psychological mechanisms through which individuals can sustain a sense of urgency as a driver of improved performance. To address this aim, a conceptual model is developed. Specifically, reflection on failure, a deliberate evaluation of past failures with the intention of identifying and addressing personal weaknesses, is posited to promote introspection and cultivate a sense of urgency to overcome shortcomings. Additionally, heightened perception of deadlines evokes pressure, prompting individuals to exert greater effort to avoid failures. Simultaneously, time urgency, which is conceptualized as the tendency to perceive time as a scarce personal resource, functions as a catalyst that amplifies this effect. In turn, a sense of urgency is expected to operate as a motivational force that drives individuals toward active learning, thereby enhancing performance. Furthermore, this relationship is proposed to be strengthened when goal clarity and leader support are high.