Xin Wang, Hong Zhu, Di Jiang, Shaoang Xia and Chunqu Xiao
The rapid innovation of artificial intelligence (AI) technology promotes the prosperity of the AI product market. However, consumers seem to have negative attitudes (e.g…
Abstract
Purpose
The rapid innovation of artificial intelligence (AI) technology promotes the prosperity of the AI product market. However, consumers seem to have negative attitudes (e.g. prejudice, aversion) toward AI products and services. Those negative attitudes are rooted in the fear that AI might replace humans. The authors thus propose that turning the image of AI from substitutes to facilitators can alleviate identity threat perception. This paper aims to examine how the image of AI products (facilitators vs substitutes) influences consumer evaluation and explores the underlying mechanism and boundary conditions.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses four experiments with between-subjects designs to investigate whether the image of AI products (facilitators vs substitutes) will affect consumer evaluation in specific consumption and service scenarios. The same products (or services) were manipulated as “substitute” or “facilitator” through advertisement slogans. Participants were randomly assigned to a condition and read the advertisement, then they reported their evaluation. The mediator perceived identity threat and the moderator preconceived perceptions of AI risks were measured by scales. The moderator, self-affirmation, was manipulated through the instruction of the experiment.
Findings
This study demonstrates that consumers give higher evaluation of AI products in the image of the facilitator than in the image of the substitute (Study 1). The underlying mechanism is that the perceived identity threat caused by “facilitator” products is lower than “substitute” products (Study 2). The effect of AI image is moderated by consumers’ preconceived perceptions of AI risks (Study 3) and self-affirmation (Study 4). Specifically, for consumers who have a strong AI risk-perception, this effect exists, but it disappears for consumers who have a weak AI risk perception. When consumers are given a strong self-affirmation, the negative impact of the “substitute” image disappears.
Originality/value
This paper analyzes the psychological root of consumers’ negative evaluation of AI technology from the perspective of AI’s image. The proposed typology of “substitutes” and “facilitators” helps expand the vision on brand/product image and enriches the research on consumer self-identity in today’s highly informatized market. The findings shed light on how to choose appropriate image for AI products, which will be crucial for increasing consumers’ acceptance of AI products.
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The authors tested (1) the mediating role of thriving in the association between leader-member exchange (LMX) and work–nonwork balance (WNWB) and (2) the moderating effect of…
Abstract
Purpose
The authors tested (1) the mediating role of thriving in the association between leader-member exchange (LMX) and work–nonwork balance (WNWB) and (2) the moderating effect of gender in the relationship between LMX and thriving.
Design/methodology/approach
Cross-sectional data were collected from six separate participant groups across an eight-month period (n = 522). Data analysis included confirmatory factor analysis to assess the construct validity of the proposed three-factor model. Hierarchical regression and the PROCESS macro were used to test three hypotheses.
Findings
The authors found thriving mediated an indirect effect of LMX on WNWB. In addition, we found that the relationship between LMX and thriving was moderated by gender, such that the relationship was found for females. Overall, the authors identified a moderated-mediation effect indicating an indirect effect of LMX on WNWB via thriving for females.
Research limitations/implications
Cross-sectional design suggests their results are theory driven. The authors suggest future studies replicate the study employing experimental designs.
Practical implications
The authors suggest organisations develop programs to enhance leadership and thriving capabilities as tools to manage WNWB.
Originality/value
The authors add to the thriving literature by revealing gender differences in the effectiveness of relational resources (i.e. LMX) in fostering employee thriving. Furthermore, the authors extend the efficacy of thriving beyond the workplace to include WNWB. The authors demonstrate the skills and knowledge acquired at work can be used to lessen the impact of WNWB.
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Shanshan Guo, Jinnan Wu and Paijie Wan
Limited empirical research has examined the impact of enterprise social media (ESM) use in the workplace on employees’ well-being and job satisfaction. Moreover, there remains a…
Abstract
Purpose
Limited empirical research has examined the impact of enterprise social media (ESM) use in the workplace on employees’ well-being and job satisfaction. Moreover, there remains a notable gap in effective management strategies to fully leverage the benefits of ESM while mitigating its potential drawbacks. This study employs the theories of self-depletion and resource conservation to investigate the mechanisms through which ESM use influences employees’ work flourishing, with particular emphasis on the mediating role of fatigue and the moderating roles of work autonomy and psychological detachment.
Design/methodology/approach
This study collected data from Chinese employees in two waves via an online survey platform. After two rounds of data collection, a total of 304 matched responses were obtained for analysis. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted using Mplus, and multi-level linear regression analysis was employed to examine the relationships between corporate enterprise media use, fatigue, job autonomy, psychological detachment and job prosperity.
Findings
Social ESM use in the workplace increases employee fatigue (β = 0.258, p < 0.001), with fatigue negatively impacting thriving at work (β = −0.362, p < 0.001). Job autonomy mitigates the adverse relationship between social ESM use and fatigue, whereas psychological detachment moderates the negative impact of fatigue on thriving at work. The mediating effect of fatigue is most pronounced when both job autonomy and psychological detachment are low.
Research limitations/implications
The findings of this study enhance our understanding of the psychological impacts of using ESM in the workplace and underscore the critical role of job autonomy and psychological detachment in mitigating the effects of social ESM use on employee well-being and performance.
Practical implications
This study provides guidance for the use of ESM in the workplace. Management should pay attention to improving the functionality of ESM, effectively managing employees’ social ESM use in the workplace, and clearly defining the boundaries between work and social activities. It is also beneficial for organizations to provide employees with autonomy and create opportunities for psychological detachment to mitigate the potential negative effects of social ESM use on employees.
Originality/value
This research contributes to the literature by identifying fatigue as a key mediator and job autonomy and psychological detachment as important moderators in the relationship between social-related ESM use and thriving at work.
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Corina Daba-Buzoianu, Maria Ramona Ignat, Andrei-Octavian Ghețu and Monica Bîră
This paper aims to explore the realm of gig work and the gig economy in Romania in an attempt to shed light on the mechanisms of this type of work and the reasons and benefits of…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to explore the realm of gig work and the gig economy in Romania in an attempt to shed light on the mechanisms of this type of work and the reasons and benefits of engaging in gig-related activities.Considering the low conceptual consensus on gig work, the authors aim to explore how participants in this study define and refer to gig work, thus helping to contribute to the current conceptualization and characterizations of gig work and the gig economy. Among the wide range of services encountered within the gig economy, this research focuses on three categories of tasks, as defined within COLLEEM 2018 questionnaire (see Pesole et al., 2018), namely, online creative and multimedia work, online sales and marketing support and online software development and technology work.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on semistructured interviews with people working in the gig economy in Romania, the authors look to understand the meaning given to gig work and its features. The authors tackle how participants in this study perceive themselves and their work. The authors also look into perceived similarities and differences with other types of independent work.
Findings
In this paper, findings are organized into two main sections. The first section showcases perceptions about working in the gig economy, including how people involved with this type of work are describing them and their activity and exploring financial insecurities in connection with the independent/gig work. The second section highlights the mechanisms of gig work on digital labor platforms, developing means and ways of reputation-building and their impact on financial earnings.
Originality/value
This research aims to contribute to a better understanding of the environment and needs of gig workers. Although gig economy and online work are widely covered by field literature, knowledge about the experiences and perceptions of gig workers in emerging markets has more to gain by exploring European Union developing markets.
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Khalid Abed Dahleez, Mohammed Aboramadan and Fadi Abdelfattah
Through the lens of social exchange and self-determination theories, this paper proposes and tests a model to explore how inclusive leadership practices foster employee job…
Abstract
Purpose
Through the lens of social exchange and self-determination theories, this paper proposes and tests a model to explore how inclusive leadership practices foster employee job satisfaction at higher education institutions. It also explores the intervening roles of psychological ownership and employee thriving in this relationship.
Design/methodology/approach
This study followed a positivist worldview and a quantitative methodology. The authors collected data from a sample of 329 academic and nonacademic staff working at Omani higher education institutions. The authors utilized partial least squares-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) to examine the model and test the hypothesized relationships.
Findings
This study's findings reveal that inclusive leadership is related to job satisfaction. They also show that psychological ownership and employee thriving mediate between inclusive leadership and job satisfaction at Omani academic institutions.
Practical implications
Since employees at Omani academic institutions come from different cultures, academic leaders should manage and promote inclusiveness by developing and enforcing relevant policies. They should carefully select the workforce that stimulates growth and effectiveness, create an atmosphere to foster acceptance and exchange of ideas, improve performance appraisal practices, and embed inclusiveness in their vision and mission.
Originality/value
This research helps researchers and practitioners better understand how inclusiveness fosters vitality and learning in the higher education sector. It also sheds more light on how psychological ownership and employee thriving mediate between inclusive leadership and job satisfaction. This research is also important due to its context, as it was implemented in a multicultural environment with a diverse workforce.
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Zhining Wang, Shuang Ren and Lijun Meng
The purpose of this paper is to provide a balanced and nuanced understanding of the relationship between high-performance work systems (HPWS) and employee thriving at work by…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide a balanced and nuanced understanding of the relationship between high-performance work systems (HPWS) and employee thriving at work by aiming to consider the “dark-side” of HPWS and to uncover the “black box.”
Design/methodology/approach
This research draws from data from 377 employees nested in 77 work teams and tests a multilevel moderated mediation model using multilevel path analysis.
Findings
The findings indicate that employees appraise HPWS as both a challenge and a hindrance simultaneously. The challenge appraisal associated with HPWS positively influences employees' thriving at work whereas hindrance appraisal of HPWS negatively influences thriving experience. The results also support the hypothesized relationships in which servant leadership moderates the indirect effect of HPWS on employee thriving via challenge and hindrance appraisals accordingly.
Originality/value
This research demonstrates both positive and negative sides of HPWS as evaluated by employees in relation to an important employee outcome of thriving at work. It enriches the strategic HRM literature by identifying the “black box” of HPWS-employee outcomes and associated boundary condition from the theoretical perspective of cognitive appraisals.
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Yi Li and Renjing Liu
The impact of enterprise social media (ESM) on employees is not always beneficial. The constant connectivity of ESM can trigger emotional issues, threatening employees'…
Abstract
Purpose
The impact of enterprise social media (ESM) on employees is not always beneficial. The constant connectivity of ESM can trigger emotional issues, threatening employees' psychological states. This study aims to explore the potential risks of ESM usage on thriving at work by examining how ESM usage affects thriving and for whom this relationship is amplified.
Design/methodology/approach
Drawing on Affect Event Theory, this study proposes a research model for investigating the underlying mechanisms and boundary conditions of the negative impacts of different ESM usage patterns on employees' thriving at work. This study employed Smart-PLS 4.0 with structural equation modeling to analyze multi-wave survey data from 255 employees, testing the proposed model.
Findings
The results indicate the following: (1) ESM usage triggers employees' workplace fear of missing out (WFoMO), increasing their online vigilance and consequently hindering their thriving at work. (2) The impact of ESM usage on employees' WFoMO and thriving at work varies with their ambition levels, with high-ambition employees being more susceptible to negative effects and (3) Different types of ESM usage exert distinct effects on employees.
Originality/value
This study substantiates the potential negative impact of ESM usage on employees' thriving at work, contributing to the literature on the “dark side” of ESM usage and thriving at work. This study confirms the critical mediating role of emotion, offering a novel theoretical perspective on understanding the mechanisms linking ESM usage and its outcomes. Additionally, this study identifies the moderating role of employee ambition, complementing the boundary conditions of ESM usage.
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Mehrzad Saeedikiya, Aidin Salamzadeh, Yashar Salamzadeh and Zeynab Aeeni
The current research aimed to investigate the external enablement role of Digital Infrastructures (DI) in the interplay of entrepreneurial cognitions and innovation.
Abstract
Purpose
The current research aimed to investigate the external enablement role of Digital Infrastructures (DI) in the interplay of entrepreneurial cognitions and innovation.
Design/methodology/approach
Data from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) and Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI) were used for analyses. This yielded a sample of 8,601 Generation Z entrepreneurs operating in 25 European countries.
Findings
Applying hierarchical moderated regressions showed that socio-cognitive components of an entrepreneurial mindset (self-efficacy, risk propensity, opportunity identification) affect innovation among Generation Z entrepreneurs. More importantly, DI plays an external enablement role in the interplay of cognitions and innovation among Generation Z entrepreneurs.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the socio-cognitive theory of entrepreneurship by integrating an external enablement perspective into the study of cognitions and entrepreneurial outcomes (here, innovation). It contributes to the digital technology perspective of entrepreneurship by connecting the conversation about the socio-cognitive perspective of entrepreneurship regarding the role of cognitions in innovation to the conversation in information systems (IS) regarding technology affordances and constraints. This study extends the application of the external enabler framework to the post-entry stage of entrepreneurial activity and integrates a generational perspective into it.
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Hasan Farid, Yang Zhang, Ming Tian and Shiyao Lu
This study explores how three-dimensional job autonomy (decision-making, work method and work scheduling) affects employees’ thriving at work and service recovery performance in…
Abstract
Purpose
This study explores how three-dimensional job autonomy (decision-making, work method and work scheduling) affects employees’ thriving at work and service recovery performance in the hospitality industry during COVID-19.
Design/methodology/approach
This study utilized cross-sectional dyadic data from 287 frontline workers in the Chinese hospitality sector and analyzed it with Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS) and the PROCESS macro.
Findings
The findings indicate that three-dimensional autonomy has a direct impact on thriving and an indirect effect on service recovery performance (SRP) through thriving, and the relationship between three-dimensional autonomy and thriving is moderated by SOCV19R.
Originality/value
This study addresses the existing gap in research regarding the various aspects of autonomy. It explores how distinct dimensions of autonomy affect employees’ thriving at work and, in turn, influence their ability to excel in service recovery. Furthermore, it sheds light on how the unique circumstances of COVID-19, as represented by SOCV19R, play a role in understanding the dynamics between different forms of autonomy and employees’ thriving.
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Aiman Niazi, Muhammad Imran Qureshi, Mehwish Iftikhar and Asifa Obaid
In light of the widely acknowledged significance of GHRM practices, this study improves comprehension pertaining to GHRM practices and employee workplace outcome relationships…
Abstract
Purpose
In light of the widely acknowledged significance of GHRM practices, this study improves comprehension pertaining to GHRM practices and employee workplace outcome relationships. Drawing on the conservation of resource (COR) theory, the association between GHRM practices and employee workplace outcomes, namely green commitment and thriving at work, was explored, with a specific focus on the mediating role of organizational pride.
Design/methodology/approach
A quantitative research design was adopted, and data was collected through a multistage sampling technique, yielding a sample of 255 employees working in six textile manufacturing organizations in Pakistan, all of which held the ISO 14001 certification. The model was tested using Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM).
Findings
The findings of this study reveal a significant link between GHRM practices and organizational pride. Moreover, organizational pride was found to mediate the relationship between GHRM practices and thriving at work while partially mediating the relationship between GHRM practices and green commitment.
Research limitations/implications
The outcomes of this study have implications for organizations seeking to enhance sustainability and employee well-being by adopting GHRM practices. Specifically, fostering a sense of organizational pride can further enhance thriving at work and green commitment among employees.
Originality/value
The findings contribute to the existing literature by highlighting the positive impact of GHRM practices on employee workplace outcomes and the importance of organizational pride as a mediating mechanism.