Enhancing Employee Agility Through Information Technology Competency: An Empirical Study of China

Han Lai,Abdul Hameed Pitafi,Noman Hasany,Tahir Islam

doi:10.1177/21582440211006687

Abstract

This study investigated how employees’ information technology (IT) competency is associated with employee agility via perceived task structure. Most scholar’s emphasis is on the impact of IT competency on individual work performance; however, it seems as if no attention has been given to explore the relationship between IT competency on employee’s agility through perceived task structure. This research offers and tests a new comprehensive model that links the individual’s IT competency with perceived task structure and employee agility. Data were gathered from 167 representatives who used various IT applications for daily work routines in the organization. Findings showed that IT competency is positively related to task interdependence and autonomy. Task autonomy also has significant effect on employee agility; however, task interdependence has shown insignificant effect on employee agility. Furthermore, work expertise positively moderates the relationship between IT competency and perceived task structure. Theoretical and managerial implications of study are also discussed in the last section.

Highlights

In a rapidly dynamic marketplace, employees are required to be agile to respond to environmental changes and capitalize on emerging market opportunities (Alavi & Wahab, 2013; Cai et al, 2018; Pitafi & Ren, 2021)
The findings show that χ2 = 1,048.08, df = 308, root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.05, standardized root mean square residual (SRMR) = 0.06, normed fit index (NFI) = 0.77, incremental fit index (IFI) = 0.89, comparative fit index (CFI) = 0.92, and goodness-of-fit index (GFI) = 0.77 are acceptable if the sample size is greater than 150 (Yadama & Pandey, 1995)
The results show that information technology (IT) competency has a significant effect on task interdependence with β = .33, t = 5.43, p < .001, and task autonomy with β = .30, t = 4.02, p < .001; Hypothesis 1 (H1) and Hypothesis 2 (H2) are supported for this study

Summary

Introduction

In a rapidly dynamic marketplace, employees are required to be agile to respond to environmental changes and capitalize on emerging market opportunities (Alavi & Wahab, 2013; Cai et al, 2018; Pitafi & Ren, 2021). Agility is the capability of employees to react and adapt to unpredictable environment that is changing rapidly and appropriately, while trying to adjust to it (Alavi, 2016; Cai et al, 2018; Muduli, 2017; Pitafi, Liu, & Cai, 2018). Past studies have shown several advantages of employee’s agility, including organizational learning, product quality, and customer services and satisfaction (Alavi, 2016; Pitafi et al, 2019). These benefits brought by agility lead to an increasing interest in identifying its influencing factors.

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion