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1 – 10 of over 9000Seckyoung Loretta Kim, Donghwan Lee and Seokhwa Yun
The purpose of this research is to examine the positive relationship between leader's boundary-spanning behavior and employee creative behavior. Moreover, the research…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this research is to examine the positive relationship between leader's boundary-spanning behavior and employee creative behavior. Moreover, the research investigates a three-way effect by exploring leader's boundary-spanning behavior, need for status and creative self-efficacy on employee creative behavior.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors conducted a cross-sectional survey involving 260 supervisor-subordinate dyads from various companies in South Korea. The research tests the hypotheses through a hierarchical regression analysis.
Findings
The authors provided empirical evidence that leader's boundary-spanning behavior positively related to employee creative behavior. Moreover, the result demonstrated that the effect of leader's boundary-spanning behavior on creative behavior was the strongest in the context of high need for status and high creative self-efficacy.
Research limitations/implications
The research contributes to the three streams of literature on boundary spanning, creativity, and leadership by exploring leaders' boundary-spanning behavior, employees' need for status, and employees' creative self-efficacy.
Practical implications
The findings suggest that organizations should promote leaders' boundary-spanning behavior, thereby enhancing employees' creative behavior. Also, the study highlights the critical role of individual factors, such as the need for status and creative self-efficacy, and situational factors that determine the level of creative behavior.
Originality/value
Integrating the componential model of creativity and the interactionist perspective of creativity, this research examines the positive influence of leaders' boundary-spanning behavior on creative behavior. Furthermore, the research exhibits how leader's boundary-spanning behavior, need for status and creative self-efficacy could develop creative conditions to promote employee creative behavior.
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Jiaxin (Sylvia) Wang, Xiaoxiao Fu and Youcheng Wang
This study aims to investigate the antecedents of frontline employees’ boundary-spanning behaviors in the hospitality industry. Anchored in transactional stress theory, affective…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the antecedents of frontline employees’ boundary-spanning behaviors in the hospitality industry. Anchored in transactional stress theory, affective events theory and motivation theories, a conceptual model was built to explore the impacts of hindrance stressors on boundary-spanning behavior.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected from frontline employees in the hospitality industry in the USA. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling were used.
Findings
The findings revealed that despite hindrance stressors’ negative indirect impact on frontline employees’ boundary-spanning behaviors, intrinsic motivation worked effectively to reduce hindrance stress and influence subsequent emotions leading to boundary-spanning behaviors.
Practical implications
This study provides substantial and detailed strategies for hospitality practitioners who are pressed to alleviate the hindrance stressors from which frontline employees frequently suffer, foster employees’ positive emotions and ease negative emotions while promoting boundary-spanning behaviors. Cultivation of employees’ intrinsic motivation and emotional management is encouraged, as is effective organizational structure and management intervention. All of these are deemed helpful in buffering employees’ work-related stress while motivating them to go above and beyond their nominal duties.
Originality/value
Very few studies have examined how “bad” hindrance stressors affect boundary-spanning behaviors. Rather than suggesting that hindrance stressors are relevant only to counterproductive behaviors, this study extends both the stress and boundary-spanning literature by uncovering the impact of hindrance stressors on frontline employees’ boundary-spanning behaviors while accounting for the roles of workers’ motivation and emotion.
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Zhang Zheng and Rahil Irfan Ahmed
This paper examined the mediating role of boundary spanning behavior and the moderating effects of traditionality linking humble leadership and employee creative performance from…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper examined the mediating role of boundary spanning behavior and the moderating effects of traditionality linking humble leadership and employee creative performance from the perspective of Social Exchange Theory (SET) to reveal the behavioral mechanism and boundary condition regarding the influence of humble leadership on creative performance.
Design/methodology/approach
A sample of 276 employees and the supervisors from 8 companies in China was taken using two-wave data.
Findings
The results indicated that humble leadership was positively related to employee creative performance, and boundary spanning behavior partially mediated the relationship between humble leadership and employee creative performance. Traditionality strengthens the mediation process when traditionality is high.
Practical implications
These findings provide several theoretical and practical implications for the domains of humble leadership and boundary spanning behavior. For example, human resource (HR) departments can recruit leaders with high humility and cultivate team leaders through systematic training programs about self-awareness, openness and self-transcendence; team leaders should encourage employees to participate in boundary spanning activities and hiring managers select employees with high traditionality to synergize with leader humility.
Originality/value
Based on the SET, this paper explored the behavioral mechanism between humble leadership and creative performance and enriched the prior research, which is from the cognitive or emotional view, and further answered the question “what are the employees' behavioral responses when they confront the humble leadership”.
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Yangchun Fang, Xinxing Dai and Xudong Zhang
To better understand factors that lead to business model innovation (BMI) in organizations, this study argues that inclusive leadership is the primary source that motivates…
Abstract
Purpose
To better understand factors that lead to business model innovation (BMI) in organizations, this study argues that inclusive leadership is the primary source that motivates employee engagement in boundary-spanning activities, which fosters BMI by generating and integrating employee knowledge through boundary-spanning exploration.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper analyzes the relationships between inclusive leadership, boundary-spanning exploration and BMI to discover how they influence each other. This is achieved by a survey of more than 30 enterprises in Zhejiang Province, China. The survey data are analyzed using SPSS.
Findings
Inclusive leaders who display characteristics of openness, accessibility and availability have a positive effect on BMI and boundary-spanning exploration; openness and accessibility have more significant positive effect on BMI and boundary-spanning exploration.
Research limitations/implications
Because this study covers only in Zhejiang Province, in China, the findings may not be easily generalizable to other contexts. Other factors, such as organizational structure and contextual characteristics, could also be added as antecedents in a future investigation. Moreover, the scales could be revised more suitable for China in the future.
Practical implications
The empirical findings can be used as guidelines for firms seeking to take advantage of inclusive leadership and to help firms motivate their employees to engage in boundary-spanning exploration to acquire, generate and integrate knowledge from diverse sources to promote BMI.
Originality/value
This study provides insights that will be of value by adding to the theoretical foundation of our understanding of the antecedents to firms' BMI. This study argues that employees' boundary-spanning exploration is important to BMI as well. Inclusive leadership is crucial to stimulate boundary-spanning exploration by employees. Therefore, how to encourage inclusive leadership in firms is well worth examining.
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Jinqiang Zhu, Lu Xin and Mengyi Li
This study aimed to investigate the underlying boundary conditions under which boundary-spanning behaviour has a positive or negative effect on innovative behaviour.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aimed to investigate the underlying boundary conditions under which boundary-spanning behaviour has a positive or negative effect on innovative behaviour.
Design/methodology/approach
A multi-wave and multi-source research design was adopted to collect data. Data were analysed using the multilevel structural equation modelling and latent moderated structural equation approach.
Findings
The results showed that boundary-spanning behaviour was significantly and negatively associated with employees' innovative behaviour via ego depletion when employees' intrinsic motivation or organisational support was low. Additionally, boundary-spanning behaviour was significantly and positively associated with employees' innovative behaviour via ego depletion when employees' intrinsic motivation or organisational support was high.
Originality/value
This research suggests that the consequences of boundary-spanning behaviour are conditional, explaining the contrasting conclusions in this regard.
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Tyler R. Morgan, Adam Rapp, R. Glenn Richey, Jr. and Alexander E. Ellinger
– The purpose of this research is to explore how firm market orientation, as a culture, affects the service climate that develops in the firm.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this research is to explore how firm market orientation, as a culture, affects the service climate that develops in the firm.
Design/methodology/approach
Empirical testing is performed at the managerial level and boundary-spanning employee level as part of this multilevel study. The sample includes participants from a US-based firm operating in the hospitality industry.
Findings
Results indicate that a market-oriented firm culture interacts with other elements such as boundary-spanning employee flexibility and control to positively impact the service climate that develops.
Research limitations/implications
This research provides theoretical implications for the development of a service climate within a market-oriented firm culture and the influence of managers on boundary-spanning employees in the development of the climate.
Practical implications
As managers attempt to develop a service climate through a market-oriented firm culture, they will find success by providing boundary-spanning employees with control and hiring employees that possess flexibility as a personality trait.
Originality/value
The framework developed in this research provides insights regarding the multilevel nature of service climate development and the impact of a market-oriented culture.
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Scholars typically view cross-legacy boundary spanners – employees who develop and maintain social relationships with coworkers from both legacy organizations – as the key…
Abstract
Scholars typically view cross-legacy boundary spanners – employees who develop and maintain social relationships with coworkers from both legacy organizations – as the key integrators in mergers and acquisitions (M&As). Organizations even formally appoint employees with cross-legacy responsibilities to support the post-merger integration process. Recent research has started to emphasize, however, how difficult it can be to reap the benefits of a boundary-spanning position. Building and maintaining formal or informal boundary-spanning ties is costly because it requires time, attention, and political savviness. To better understand the perks and pitfalls of cross-legacy boundary-spanning, the authors identify and describe its structural and sociocultural dimensions and explain how they influence cross-legacy boundary-spanning in M&A contexts. The authors argue that the two dimensions can be seen as boundary conditions to the positive relationship between cross-legacy boundary spanning and post-merger integration. This chapter highlights the potential dark side of cross-legacy boundary-spanning and proposes a multi-dimensional model to explain how cross-legacy boundary spanners can avoid the pitfalls and promote the perks of their position in support of successful post-merger integration.
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Chuncheng Zhou, Nan Hu, Jianlin Wu and Jibao Gu
Cross-organizational cultural intelligence (COCI) is conceptualized as an ability of individuals to interact effectively with persons from different organizational cultures. To…
Abstract
Purpose
Cross-organizational cultural intelligence (COCI) is conceptualized as an ability of individuals to interact effectively with persons from different organizational cultures. To deal with culture differences in cross-organizational context, organizations need to select employees with high COCI. This study aims to develop an instrument to measure employees’ COCI in a cross-organizational context.
Design/methodology/approach
The present study was conducted in three steps to develop a scale to measure COCI. First, 39 statements were identified based on a series of interviews. Then, via a survey of 275 part-time MBA students, 18 statements were categorized into four dimensions, namely, cognition, motivation, collaborative communication and behavioral adaptability. Finally, convergent, discriminant, predictive and incremental validity of the scale were tested.
Findings
This study extends the cultural intelligence to the cross-organizational context. The COCI concept provides theoretical support for cultural intelligence research in the cross-organizational context. Therefore, the present study broadens the research field of cultural intelligence. A four-dimensional scale was developed to measure COCI, which includes cognition, motivation, collaborative communication and behavioral adaptability. High COCI can enhance employee’s performance in a cross-organizational context.
Research limitations/implications
This study still has several limitations. First, the self-report questionnaire indicated that the relationship between COCI and other constructs may be stronger because of single-source, self-reported data collection. Second, the new scale was developed in China. Although some respondents came from foreign companies, most surveyed employees belonged to Chinese enterprises. Based on the current results, COCI scale exhibits promise as a measurable criterion, but it requires more refinement and validation. Additional work in this area can explore factors that can influence or improve individual COCI. A theoretical network of COCI that includes predictors, consequences, mediators and moderators by theoretical research can be established.
Practical implications
The COCI scale can be used in organizational management. Also, the COCI scale can help organizations understand the meanings of the employees’ COCI and select employees with high COCI during the recruitment. It makes managers easier to choose qualified candidates for inter-organizational projects. Beyond that, organizations can develop employees’ COCI according to the proposed four dimensions.
Originality/value
The development of the valid COCI scale will facilitate future research on boundary spanning. The COCI scale can measure individual cultural intelligence in a cross-organizational context. The present study has verified that COCI is different from emotional intelligence and provided a new perspective to explore the importance of individual ability in boundary-spanning activities. The instrumental support can help researchers effectively understand COCI and explore its potentials in boundary-spanning activities.
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This study aims to investigate the effect of social undermining on the service employees' boundary-spanning behavior though perceived fit with job (P-J fit). This study also aims…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the effect of social undermining on the service employees' boundary-spanning behavior though perceived fit with job (P-J fit). This study also aims to examine the moderating role of ethical climate in the relationship between service employees' perceived fit with job (P-J fit) and boundary-spanning behavior.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a sample of 469 Korean bank and insurance employees, research model and hypotheses were tested. Data analysis was performed using structural equation modeling and the hierarchical regression model.
Findings
The results showed that supervisor and co-worker undermining have detrimental influences on the service employee's perceived fit with job. P-J fit has a positive effect on employees' boundary-spanning behavior and this relationship was positively moderated by the employee's prevailing perception of organizational practices and procedures that have ethical content.
Research limitations/implications
This research should be evaluated in light of limitations, one of which is the reliance on cross-sectional data. The generalizability of this research model across settings and across outcome variables is still an open question. The measures of social undermining were based on participant perceptions, and in each case, participants make judgments about their negative behaviors retrospectively. Furthermore, the data were collected in Korea, so generalizing the hypothesized model beyond this setting is limited. Since Korea represents a distinct cultural and economic context, future research could examine the model in different countries.
Practical implications
The findings of this study confirm the crucial role of managers in creating an ethical climate where decisions are based on formally stated ethical guidelines. Such guidelines help service employees solve the ethical dilemmas that are common to their positions. These research findings demonstrate that creating an ethical climate is not only the right thing to do but also has significant benefits for both the service employees and the organization.
Originality/value
Considering the boundary-spanning role of the service employee, not only the organizational side (supervisor and co-worker undermining), but also the customer is specified as a major source of social undermining.
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Mark C. Johlke, Christina L. Stamper and Mary E. Shoemaker
Owing to their growing numbers and importance, both managers and researchers are increasingly concerned with the work experiences of boundary‐spanning employees. Employee…
Abstract
Owing to their growing numbers and importance, both managers and researchers are increasingly concerned with the work experiences of boundary‐spanning employees. Employee perceptions of organizational support (POS) may be particularly relevant to this crucial employee group. Thus reports a study of the relations between two individual‐level and two organizational‐level antecedents to boundary‐spanner POS. The results indicate that employee gender, amount of formal organizational recognition received, and the quality of task‐related training are associated with POS. However, type of employee pay plan is not. Concludes with a discussion of these findings and their implications for effectively managing boundary‐spanning employee POS.
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