IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/jobhdp/v120y2013i1p98-109.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Bonds and boundaries: Network structure, organizational boundaries, and job performance

Author

Listed:
  • Zou, Xi
  • Ingram, Paul

Abstract

We propose and test a framework that describes the relationship between network structures and job performance. We provide an integration of the current conceptualizations of social capital as they pertain to job performance outcomes by taking a multi-dimensional view of job performance. We break down job performance into creativity, decision-making, task execution, and teamwork, and distinguish the effect of structural holes within and across the organizational boundary on these four job performance domains. In an analysis of 318 managers, we find that networks rich in structural holes that cross the organizational boundary had a positive association with creativity and decision-making, whereas networks with few structural holes within the organization had a positive association with task execution and teamwork. We discuss the theoretical implications for integrating the social capital, boundary spanning, and network structure literatures, as well as the practical benefits of giving much more precise advice to managers and employees regarding how to use networks to improve performance at work.

Suggested Citation

  • Zou, Xi & Ingram, Paul, 2013. "Bonds and boundaries: Network structure, organizational boundaries, and job performance," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 120(1), pages 98-109.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jobhdp:v:120:y:2013:i:1:p:98-109
    DOI: 10.1016/j.obhdp.2012.09.002
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0749597812001197
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.obhdp.2012.09.002?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Lee Fleming & David M. Waguespack, 2007. "Brokerage, Boundary Spanning, and Leadership in Open Innovation Communities," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 18(2), pages 165-180, April.
    2. Simon Rodan & Charles Galunic, 2004. "More than network structure: how knowledge heterogeneity influences managerial performance and innovativeness," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(6), pages 541-562, June.
    3. Bill McEvily & Akbar Zaheer, 1999. "Bridging ties: a source of firm heterogeneity in competitive capabilities," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 20(12), pages 1133-1156, December.
    4. Martin Gargiulo & Mario Benassi, 2000. "Trapped in Your Own Net? Network Cohesion, Structural Holes, and the Adaptation of Social Capital," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 11(2), pages 183-196, April.
    5. Marie Louise Mors, 2010. "Innovation in a global consulting firm: when the problem is too much diversity," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(8), pages 841-872, August.
    6. Mark S. Mizruchi & Linda Brewster Stearns & Anne Fleischer, 2011. "Getting a Bonus: Social Networks, Performance, and Reward Among Commercial Bankers," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 22(1), pages 42-59, February.
    7. Ray Reagans & Ezra W. Zuckerman, 2001. "Networks, Diversity, and Productivity: The Social Capital of Corporate R&D Teams," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 12(4), pages 502-517, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Zhang, Xiaoxing & Gao, Changyuan & Zhang, Shuchen, 2022. "The niche evolution of cross-boundary innovation for Chinese SMEs in the context of digital transformation——Case study based on dynamic capability," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    2. Edward Bishop Smith & Yuan Hou, 2015. "Redundant Heterogeneity and Group Performance," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 26(1), pages 37-51, February.
    3. Meini Han & Han Lin & Jiangyan Wang & Yunzhen Wang & Wan Jiang, 2019. "Turning corporate environmental ethics into firm performance: The role of green marketing programs," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(6), pages 929-938, September.
    4. Kim, Hakkyun & Lee, Kyoungmi & Park, Kiwan, 2015. "Balancing out feelings of risk by playing it safe: The effect of social networking on subsequent risk judgment," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 121-131.
    5. Stewart R. Miller & Marie Louise Mors & Michael McDonald, 2019. "Expectations for Help Within and Across the Formal Boundaries of Executives’ Professional Advice Networks," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 59(4), pages 617-642, August.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Liang, Liang & Alam, Ashraful & Sorwar, Ghulam & Yazdifar, Hassan & Eskandari, Rasol, 2021. "The combined network effect of sparse and interlocked connections in SMEs’ innovation," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 163(C).
    2. Michael Weiler & Oliver Hinz, 2019. "Without each other, we have nothing: a state-of-the-art analysis on how to operationalize social capital," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 13(5), pages 1003-1035, November.
    3. Soda, Giuseppe & Zaheer, Akbar & Sun, Xiaoming & Cui, Wentian, 2021. "Brokerage evolution in innovation contexts: Formal structure, network neighborhoods and knowledge," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(10).
    4. Walter, Jorge & Lechner, Christoph & Kellermanns, Franz W., 2007. "Knowledge transfer between and within alliance partners: Private versus collective benefits of social capital," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 60(7), pages 698-710, July.
    5. Birgit Leick & Susanne Gretzinger, 2018. "Brokerage and governance for business networks: a metasynthesis-based discussion," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 22(4), pages 773-804, December.
    6. Ma, Xufei & Yao, Xiaotao & Xi, Youmin, 2009. "How do interorganizational and interpersonal networks affect a firm's strategic adaptive capability in a transition economy?," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 62(11), pages 1087-1095, November.
    7. Donald O. Wilson & John E. Ettlie, 2018. "Boundary Spanning, Group Heterogeneity and Engineering Project Performance," International Journal of Innovation and Technology Management (IJITM), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 15(06), pages 1-35, December.
    8. Kerr, Jon & Coviello, Nicole, 2020. "Weaving network theory into effectuation: A multi-level reconceptualization of effectual dynamics," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 35(2).
    9. Forrest Briscoe & Michelle Rogan, 2016. "Coordinating Complex Work: Knowledge Networks, Partner Departures, and Client Relationship Performance in a Law Firm," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 62(8), pages 2392-2411, August.
    10. Justin Tan & Hongjuan Zhang & Liang Wang, 2015. "Network Closure or Structural Hole? The Conditioning Effects of Network–Level Social Capital on Innovation Performance," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 39(5), pages 1189-1212, September.
    11. Sang Yoon Shin, 2019. "Network advantage’s effect on exit performance: examining venture capital’s inter-organizational networks," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 15(1), pages 21-42, March.
    12. Christopher Hayter, 2013. "Conceptualizing knowledge-based entrepreneurship networks: perspectives from the literature," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 41(4), pages 899-911, December.
    13. Rojas, Mariana Giovanna Andrade & Solis, Edgar Rogelio Ramirez & Zhu, John JianJun, 2018. "Innovation and network multiplexity: R&D and the concurrent effects of two collaboration networks in an emerging economy," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(6), pages 1111-1124.
    14. Minyoung Kim & Chang Hoon Oh & Jukyeong Han, 2024. "Colocation as network: Types and performance implications of structural positions in colocation network," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 55(1), pages 71-90, February.
    15. Müge Özman, 2007. "Network Formation and Strategic Firm Behaviour to Explore and Exploit," Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation, Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation, vol. 11(1), pages 1-7.
    16. Lavlu Mozumdar & Geoffrey Hagelaar & Valentina C. Materia & S. W. F. Omta & Mohammad Amirul Islam & Gerben Velde, 2019. "Embeddedness or Over-Embeddedness? Women Entrepreneurs’ Networks and Their Influence on Business Performance," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 31(5), pages 1449-1469, December.
    17. Marco Tortoriello & Ray Reagans & Bill McEvily, 2012. "Bridging the Knowledge Gap: The Influence of Strong Ties, Network Cohesion, and Network Range on the Transfer of Knowledge Between Organizational Units," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 23(4), pages 1024-1039, August.
    18. Fu-Sheng Tsai & Gayle Baugh & Shih-Chieh Fang & Julia Lin, 2014. "Contingent contingency: Knowledge heterogeneity and new product development performance revisited," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 31(1), pages 149-169, March.
    19. Rizova, Polly S. & Gupta, Samir & Maltz, Elliot N. & Walker, Robert W., 2018. "Overcoming equivocality on projects in the fuzzy front end: Bringing social networks back in," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 40-55.
    20. Lutter, Mark, 2014. "Creative success and network embeddedness: Explaining critical recognition of film directors in Hollywood, 1900-2010," MPIfG Discussion Paper 14/11, Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:jobhdp:v:120:y:2013:i:1:p:98-109. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/obhdp .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.