With Age Comes Better Networks: How Age Shapes Networks That Foster Performance

Abstract

Age has been linked to performance in multiple meta-analytical reviews. However, there is a lack of consensus in the extant literature about the exact nature of this relationship. Moreover, existing literature has not looked upon the above relationship through the process mechanism of workplace instrumental ties. We utilize social network analysis to investigate the instrumental network as a mechanism linking age and task performance plus age and interpersonal citizenship behaviors. More importantly. we study cognitive accuracy in social structure as the boundary condition influencing age-instrumental ties- performance relationships. In a rigorous methodology to investigate the above relationship, we collected multi-wave data from two organizational studies. In Study 1, we collected data from 179 employees at an Indian information technology services organization, and in Study2, we collected data from 829 recruits in a South Korean army boot camp. Our moderated mediation model was supported by combining the two studies. Findings showed that instrumental network size mediated the relationship between age and job performance as well as between age and interpersonal citizenship behaviors. Cognitive accuracy of the social networks moderated the above relationships. Our research contributes to socioemotional selectivity theory and has important managerial implications.