DISCORDANT VS. HARMONIOUS SELVES: THE EFFECTS OF IDENTITY CONFLICT AND ENHANCEMENT ON SALES PERFORMANCE IN EMPLOYEE-CUSTOMER INTERACTIONS

成果类型:
Article
署名作者:
Ramarajan, Lakshmi; Rothbard, Nancy P.; Wilk, Steffanie L.
署名单位:
Harvard University; University of Pennsylvania; University System of Ohio; Ohio State University
刊物名称:
ACADEMY OF MANAGEMENT JOURNAL
ISSN/ISSBN:
0001-4273
DOI:
10.5465/amj.2014.1142
发表日期:
2017
页码:
2208-2238
关键词:
perspective-taking MULTIPLE IDENTITIES COLLECTIVE IDENTITY self-determination work identification service FAMILY MODEL roles
摘要:
Across multiple studies, we examine how identity conflict and enhancement within people affect performance in tasks that involve interactions between people. We also examine two mechanisms: role-immersion, operationalized as intrinsic motivation, and role-taking, operationalized as perspective-taking. In Study 1, a longitudinal field study of customer service representatives (n = 763) who simultaneously identify with multiple brands they represent to customers, we examine the relationships between identity conflict and enhancement, on the one hand, and objective sales performance, on the other. We find independent effects for identity conflict and enhancement on intrinsic motivation, perspective-taking and performance, such that identity conflict negatively and enhancement positively affects all three variables above and beyond average identification. Intrinsic motivation further mediates the relationships between identity conflict and enhancement on sales in a direction consistent with our theorizing. However, while significant, perspective-taking does not mediate these relationships in the expected direction, because it has a negative effect on sales. In Studies 2a and 2b, we strengthen causal inference using an experimental moderation-of-process approach to constructively replicate and extend our findings. The paper demonstrates how multiple identities within people can have consequences for performance in tasks that involve interactions between people.