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A Sociopolitical Perspective on Employee Innovativeness and Job Performance: The Role of Political Skill and Network Structure

Author

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  • Travis J. Grosser

    (School of Business, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269)

  • David Obstfeld

    (Mihaylo College of Business and Economics, California State University, Fullerton, Fullerton, California 92834)

  • Emily W. Choi

    (Jindal School of Management, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas 75080)

  • Meredith Woehler

    (Owen Graduate School of Management, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37203)

  • Virginie Lopez-Kidwell

    (College of Business, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas 76201)

  • Giuseppe (Joe) Labianca

    (Gatton College of Business and Economics, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40506)

  • Stephen P. Borgatti

    (Gatton College of Business and Economics, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40506)

Abstract

We adopt a sociopolitical perspective to examine how an employee’s political skill works in conjunction with social network structure to relate to the employee’s innovation involvement and job performance. We find that employee innovation involvement mediates the relationship between political skill and job performance and that the number of structural holes employees have in their social network strengthens the positive relationship between political skill and employee innovation involvement. Hypotheses were tested in a large microprocessor manufacturing firm using a sample of 113 employees responsible for generating technological innovations in support of the development of computer microchips. The results of a constructive replication study among medical professionals provide substantial support for our model. This study’s contribution is in showing that political skill both leads to innovation involvement and enables employees to take advantage of the innovation-enhancing potential of certain social network positions.

Suggested Citation

  • Travis J. Grosser & David Obstfeld & Emily W. Choi & Meredith Woehler & Virginie Lopez-Kidwell & Giuseppe (Joe) Labianca & Stephen P. Borgatti, 2018. "A Sociopolitical Perspective on Employee Innovativeness and Job Performance: The Role of Political Skill and Network Structure," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 29(4), pages 612-632, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:ororsc:v:29:y:2018:i:4:p:612-632
    DOI: 10.1287/orsc.2017.1201
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Hafsah Zahur & Tasneem Fatima & Hina Shahab, 2019. "Machiavellianism and Bullying Behavior: Conditional Effects of Trait Activating Job Roles and Mediating Mechanism of Impression Management: A Region Based Study," Global Regional Review, Humanity Only, vol. 4(3), pages 265-276, September.
    3. Jean-Sébastien Boudrias & Francesco Montani & Christian Vandenberghe, 2021. "How and When Does Psychological Wellbeing Contribute to Proactive Performance? The Role of Social Resources and Job Characteristics," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-23, March.
    4. Bekir Bilge & Tuğba Konaklı, 2024. "Leader Member Exchange as a Mediator of the Relationship Between Schools’ Openness to Change and Political Skills of School Principals," SAGE Open, , vol. 14(3), pages 21582440241, September.
    5. Shan Wang & Fang Wang, 2025. "The value implication of sellers’ following in social marketplaces: A structural holes perspective," Electronic Commerce Research, Springer, vol. 25(2), pages 1145-1171, April.
    6. Chengcheng Xia & Chuanjia Li, 2024. "Art of saying no: linking trust structural hole to knowledge hiding and creativity," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 41(4), pages 1891-1925, December.
    7. Jean-Sébastien Boudrias & Vincent Rousseau & Denis Lajoie, 2021. "How Lack of Integrity and Tyrannical Leadership of Managers Influence Employee Improvement-Oriented Behaviors," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 172(3), pages 487-502, September.
    8. Man-Ling Chang & Au Due Tang & Cheng-Feng Cheng & Wen-Kuo Chen, 2023. "The bright side of environmental uncertainty for organizational learning: the moderating role of political skill," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 22(3), pages 978-1007, July.
    9. Xinhai Lu & Yanwei Zhang & Handong Tang, 2021. "Modeling and Simulation of Dissemination of Cultivated Land Protection Policies in China," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-21, February.
    10. Zheng, Leven J. & Xiong, Chang & Chen, Xihui & Li, Chung-Sheng, 2021. "Product innovation in entrepreneurial firms: How business model design influences disruptive and adoptive innovation," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 170(C).

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