Navigating workplace conflicts and fostering innovative behaviors: the role of job commitment and socio-instrumental ESM utilization

Abstract

This study explores the dynamics of intersection between workplace conflicts, job commitment, and socio-instrumental enterprise social media (ESM) utilization for improving innovation. This study proposes job commitment as a pivotal mediator that influences employees' attitudinal responses to the array of conflicts encountered in the workplace. Additionally, it introduce socio-instrumental ESM use as a potent moderator, influencing employees' appraisals of workplace conflicts. To illuminate the intricate tapestry of these interactions, we present a moderated mediation model that delineates the complex nomological network governing the interplay among workplace conflicts, job commitment, and the cultivation of innovative behaviors. Based on empirical data encompassing 447 employees, our findings illuminate the distinctive moderating roles played by these socio-instrumental ESM usage. These patterns differentially moderate the connections between workplace conflicts and job commitment, as well as the indirect connections between workplace conflicts and the stimulation of employee innovation through job commitment. This research significantly advances our theoretical understanding of the multifaceted interplay among workplace conflicts, job commitment, socio-instrumental ESM utilization, and employee innovation. Moreover, it offers implications that can faciliate organizational strategies aimed at fostering innovation. By recognizing the pivotal roles of job commitment and socio-instrumental ESM, organizations can strategically harness these factors to cultivate a culture of innovation, positioning themselves for success in an increasingly competitive and dynamic business environment.