Adapt to changes or not? The mediating effect of individual adaptability between social media and task performance

Yang Gao, Xi Zhang, Aihui Chen, Yongqiang Sun, Renyu Zhang

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

This paper aims to investigate the underlying mechanism of social media on employees' task performance from the perspective of individuals' adaptability to changes. Differing from previous research, this study divides up social media activities. Then, drawing from adaptability theory, we propose that three distinctive social media activities can play a role in individuals' three adaptabilities, respectively. Finally, high individual adaptability can help employees achieve better task performance. The research model is tested using data collected from 210 Chinese knowledge workers who have led or participated in a crowdsourcing project at least once. The empirical results reveal that social connection activities play a positive role in employees' three adaptabilities while entertainment activities play a negative role. Information processing activities are proven to only positively affect cultural adaptability. As we hypothesized, high personal adaptability and interpersonal adaptability do ensure employees' better task performance. What surprises us is that cultural adaptability has an indirect influence on employees' task performance through influencing interpersonal adaptability.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationProceedings of the 49th Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, HICSS 2016
EditorsRalph H. Sprague, Tung X. Bui
PublisherIEEE Computer Society
Pages2126-2135
Number of pages10
ISBN (Electronic)9780769556703
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 7 2016
Externally publishedYes
Event49th Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, HICSS 2016 - Koloa, United States
Duration: Jan 5 2016Jan 8 2016

Publication series

NameProceedings of the Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences
Volume2016-March
ISSN (Print)1530-1605

Other

Other49th Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, HICSS 2016
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityKoloa
Period1/5/161/8/16

Keywords

  • Adaptability
  • Mediating Effect
  • Social Media
  • Task Performance

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Engineering

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