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9921The work connectivity behavior refers to the actions of individuals to use communication devices in engaging with work or colleagues anywhere during non-work time and taking on multiple roles meanwhile. Its connotation is the self-socialization process through a series of symbolic interaction between subjects and objects, which acts that individuals or teams manage, express and interpret of a series of social symbols based on the experience of the past, current and future. With the leaping progress of communication technologies and devices, work connectivity behavior has become one of the research hotspots at home and abroad, but there is not a systematic review study focusing on Chinese context. Therefore, it is necessary to fully understand the multidimensional and complicated connotation of the work connectivity behavior, systematically excavate its causes and outcomes and theoretically guide related human resource management policies. This study systematically reviews the domestic and international research of the work connectivity behavior and clarifies its connotation, theory, type, measurement and influence mechanism. First, according to the maturity of communication technologies, this paper teases the connotation. The concept of the work connectivity behavior originates in the change of telework on account of utilization of communication technologies, and then some scholars point out its characteristics with individual different voluntary involvement, multiple roles and so on. Second, this study analyzes the work connectivity behavior from different theoretical perspectives. In details, based on the symbolic interaction theory, human agency theory and boundary theory, the complex connotations of the work connectivity behavior and behavior process are discussed from three angles including social, time and context orientation. Third, this study classifies the types of the work connectivity behavior proposed by previous scholars from the aspects of the spatial orientation and the individual involvement state. Fourth, this study combs ten kinds of measurements and finds that prior studies can be divided into two categories. One uses individual frequency or time of using technology to work in non-working time, and the other considers it as a daily behavior rather than a specific habit to assess this behavior. Finally, this study reviews and summarizes previous empirical studies about the work connectivity behavior and analyzes its theoretical framework. We find its related influence mechanisms have not been fully investigated, including that studies of antecedent mechanisms lack consideration of the team and organization levels, and outcome factors are mostly limited to individual perspectives. Based on the above analysis, this paper constructs some further directions of the work connectivity behavior. First, future research needs to improve its theory of the work connectivity behavior combining with the Chinese practical situation, and meanwhile develops its integrated multidimensional scale. Second, we should pay special attention to expand the antecedent mechanism of the work connectivity behavior, especially in the team and organization levels. Third, future research can fully explore the outcome mechanism and boundary conditions and mainly focus on multilevel and hierarchical effects. Team and organization level factors such as the flat organization structure, team cooperation, technology innovation should be specially analyzed. Fourth, we should further explore the relevant mechanism from the dynamic perspective such as the formation process of the work connectivity behavior and the development dynamic of its relationship with other variables, and build the dynamic mechanism model.
/ Journals / Foreign Economics & Management
Foreign Economics & Management
LiZengquan, Editor-in-Chief
ZhengChunrong, Vice Executive Editor-in-Chief
YinHuifang HeXiaogang LiuJianguo, Vice Editor-in-Chief
A Literature Review of the Work Connectivity Behavior and Future Prospects
Foreign Economics & Management Vol. 40, Issue 09, pp. 112 - 125 (2018) DOI:10.16538/j.cnki.fem.2018.09.009
Summary
References
Summary
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Cite this article
Yuan Shuo, Tang Guiyao. A Literature Review of the Work Connectivity Behavior and Future Prospects[J]. Foreign Economics & Management, 2018, 40(9): 112-125.
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