Airline Cabin Crew Members’ Ambidexterity as the Sustainable Attitude for Prosocial Passenger Service

Abstract

The current study aims to explore the intrinsic and extrinsic motivators for cabin crew members’ ambidexterity and to investigate the influence of ambidexterity on prosocial service behavior. The authors employed PLS-SEM to examine the model, using 428 valid samples from cabin crew members, their pursers, and managers working for airlines in South Korea. The study found that challenge, empowerment, and learning goal orientation, among the four dimensions of the intrinsic motivators, have positive and significant influences on cabin crew members’ ambidexterity. The findings also demonstrate that only service climate, among the three extrinsic motivators studied, is associated with ambidexterity. Moreover, the findings reveal a strong relationship between cabin crew members’ ambidexterity and prosocial service behaviors. Based on the findings, the authors addressed theoretical and practical implications related to sustainability literature and the industry.