“I am proud of my job”: Examining the psychological mechanism underlying technological innovation's effects on employee brand ambassadorship

Abstract

Over the last century, technological innovation (TI) has driven an evolution in numerous industries. It is established that organizations can enhance their performance via process and product innovation; however, the psychological foundations of TI, and the way this affects employees, are underexplored in the organization and management literature. Drawing on organismic integration theory, we aim to enrich the field of innovation and employee branding studies by examining the role of innovation capabilities in employees' motivation at work and wellbeing, which results in employee brand ambassadorship. A mixed-method approach is employed. Study 1 uses a case study to explore how employees acquire knowledge as part of their exposure to TIs. A research model that captures the underlying mechanism of how TI capabilities influence employee brand ambassadorship is then developed based on findings in Study 1. Based on Study 1 results, Study 2 conducts surveys (n = 300) to test the hypothesized framework in high-tech organizations with employees in China. Results show that both product and process innovation capabilities increase employees' psychological empowerment and autonomy, which subsequently increase their psychological wellbeing. Further, employees satisfied with their jobs are more likely to act as ambassadors for their organizational brands. The paper concludes by discussing the theoretical contributions and managerial implications of these findings.