Involvement in Boundary-Spanning Activity: Mitigating the Relationship between Work Setting and Behavior

Abstract

While behavior is influenced to a large extent by the situation in which it occurs, it is argued that consequences of engaging in boundary-spanning activity are likely to diminish the impact of the internal work setting on boundary spanners' work behavior. To assess this premise, four hypotheses are proposed regarding the mitigating effects of boundary-spanning activity on the relationship between three work setting features and a set of behaviors. Findings indicate that this relationship is weaker among spanners than among other organizational members for one of the three work-setting variables. In addition, the mitigating effects increase as the amount of boundary activity increases. These results appear limited to in-person boundary activity, as opposed to boundary interactions over the phone, and the location of the boundary activity does not appear to be a relevant factor. Implications for managers and for scholars are discussed.