Diversity of Social Ties and Employee Innovation: The Importance of Informal Learning and Reciprocity

• Nicola Cangialosi ^[1] ; Carlo Odoardi ^[1] ; Marco Peña-Jimenez ^[3] ; Mirko Antino ^[2]
  1. [1] University of Florence

     University of Florence

     Firenze, Italia

     
  2. [2] Universidad Complutense de Madrid

     Universidad Complutense de Madrid

     Madrid, España

     
  3. [3] Université Paris Nanterre, France

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• Localización: Revista de psicología del trabajo y de las organizaciones = Journal of work and organizational psychology, ISSN 1576-5962, Vol. 39, Nº 2, 2023, págs. 65-74
• Idioma: inglés
• DOI: 10.5093/jwop2023a8
• Títulos paralelos:
  • La diversidad de los lazos sociales y la innovación en el trabajo: La importancia del aprendizaje informal y de la reciprocidad
• Enlaces
  • Texto completo
• Resumen
  • español

    El estudio analiza la relación entre la variedad de vínculos sociales de los empleados (heterogeneidad de los vínculos cimentada en las funciones en la empresa), el comportamiento innovador en el trabajo, el aprendizaje informal de campo y la reciprocidad (proporción de vínculos bidireccionales). Se utilizó una muestra de 182 trabajadores de una empresa textil italiana. Se observó que la diversidad de vínculos sociales influye positivamente en el comportamiento innovador en el trabajo y que esta relación está mediada por el aprendizaje informal de campo. Además la reciprocidad fortalece la relación indirecta entre la diversidad de vínculos sociales y el comportamiento innovador en el trabajo. El estudio es una contribución a las publicaciones sobre redes e innovación al corroborar el papel que juega la diversidad de vínculos sociales en el impulso al comportamiento innovador en el trabajo, destacando la importancia del aprendizaje informal de campo y la influencia de la reciprocidad. De este modo el estudio aporta ideas sobre los procesos y condiciones en las que la diversidad de vínculos sociales tiene mayor repercusión en la innovación de los empleados, con implicaciones prácticas para impulsar el comportamiento innovador en el trabajo en las empresas.

  • English

    This study examines the relationship between employees’ social tie diversity (ties heterogeneity based on organizational functions), innovative work behavior, informal field-based learning, and reciprocity (bidirectional ties proportion). A sample of 182 workers from an Italian clothing manufacturing company was analyzed. The findings reveal that social tie diversity positively influences innovative work behavior, and their relationship is mediated by informal field-based learning. Additionally, reciprocity strengthens the indirect link between social tie diversity and innovative work behavior. This research contributes to the network and innovation literature by corroborating the role of social tie diversity in promoting innovative work behaviors, highlighting the importance of informal field-based learning, and emphasizing the impact of reciprocity. By doing so, this study offers insights into processes and conditions under which social tie diversity has the greatest impact on employee innovation, providing practical implications for fostering innovative work behaviors in organizations.

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