Fit Perspective Research Articles

I want to learn more! Integrating technology acceptance and task–technology fit models for predicting behavioural and future learning intentions

PurposeConstant and frequent technological changes within organizations call for further scholarly attention, as behavioural intentions need to be coupled also with future learning intentions to predict the present and prospective individual adaptations and performance. This study, grounded on the technology acceptance model, aims to examine the association between training opportunities and behavioural and future learning intentions also taking into account the role of task–technology fit as a moderator.Design/methodology/approachA survey was carried out within a single organization in the water processing sector on a sample of 200 workers who recently experienced a technological change through the adoption of System Application and Product in data processing. A moderated–mediation model was estimated through regression analyses with bootstrapping.FindingsThe results were consistent with study hypotheses. In particular, task–technology fit amplified the positive association between perceived ease of use and training opportunities as well as the indirect effect of this latter on both behavioural and future learning intentions through perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness. In sum, the hypothesized moderated–mediation model was confirmed.Originality/valueThree novelty factors of this study can be stressed: it is among the few studies carried out on Italian workers in the realm of technology adoption, it expanded the technology acceptance model by including traditional behavioural intentions and future learning intentions as outcome variables and it integrated the task–technology fit perspective within the technology acceptance model.

The effects of work and nonwork boundary fit on role satisfaction and subjective well‐being

Employees manage work and nonwork boundaries, or socially constructed lines of demarcation, in different ways due to their preferences and ability to do so. When an individual's integration-segmentation boundary enactment matches their boundary preference, they possess greater boundary fit. We examined the impact of work and nonwork boundary fit on subjective well-being, mediated by work and nonwork satisfaction. Results from a three-wave study confirmed positive direct effects for work/nonwork boundary fit on role satisfaction and role satisfaction on subjective well-being. We also found significant mediation effects for role satisfaction between work/nonwork boundary fit and subjective well-being. Overall, work boundary fit had stronger direct and indirect effects than nonwork boundary fit. This research helps clarify theoretical distinctions among work-nonwork fit constructs and extends the boundary fit literature through an atomistic fit perspective. Future research could consider examining boundary fit through cross-lagged panel designs and response surface modelling, as well as extending our model to examine nuanced aspects of boundary fit (e.g., physical, temporal, cognitive) and its relationship with additional outcomes (e.g., performance, burnout) and contextual factors (e.g., part-time vs. full-time employment, frontline vs. office-based employment).

Effects of cognitive characteristics and information format on teleoperation performance: A cognitive fit perspective

The present work explored how operators’ cognitive characteristics (spatial ability, verbal/imagery cognitive style) and the format of additional spatial information (numerical or graphic) provided to operators influence the performance of cross-aiming teleoperation based on a simulated robotic arm. It was found that both mental rotation ability and perspective-taking ability significantly affected the efficiency and reliability of the cross-aiming teleoperation. Individuals with an imagery cognitive style felt more satisfied with their own teleoperation performance, and experienced less temporal demand and frustration than those with verbal cognitive style. It was also found that for both verbal and imagery participants, matching the format of additional spatial information with their cognitive styles can improve their safety performance during teleoperation without affecting their workload. Conversely, for the imagery participants, the mismatch could not improve teleoperation performance but increased their workload. This suggests that the cognitive fit theory should be modified to incorporate cognitive style.

The Effect of Perceived Overqualification on Creative Performance: Person-Organization Fit Perspective.

In today’s business world, the phenomenon of overqualification is widespread. Organizations need to consider – how to motivate the overqualified employees to utilize their qualifications, for example, promoting creative performance. Based on person-organization (P-O) fit theory, this study explored when and how employees, who feel overqualified can engage in creative performance. Data were collected from 170 supervisor-subordinate dyads of 41 groups in 10 manufacturing companies across two timepoints in China. Results revealed that (1) perceived overqualification is positively related to organizational identification when employee development-oriented organizational culture is strong but negatively related to organizational identification when employee development-oriented organizational culture is weak, (2) organizational identification is positively related to creative performance, (3) the indirect relationship between perceived overqualification and creative performance via organizational identification is moderated by employee development-oriented organizational culture. We provide several theoretical contributions to the overqualification literature and make some suggestions to motivate the overqualified employees to use their surplus qualifications within the organizations.

The role of business strategy on the adoption and effectiveness of broad-based employee share ownership

PurposeIn this research, the authors try to answer the question of when broad-based employee share ownership (ESO) is more likely to be used and how it can be managed more effectively from the vertical fit perspective in strategic human resource management (HRM).Design/methodology/approachThe study analyzes an unbalanced panel sample of 614 organizations (1,601 organization-year data points) in South Korea, utilizing hierarchical linear modeling (HLM).FindingsThe analysis demonstrates that organizations are more likely to adopt broad-based ESO when they utilize the prospector and analyzer strategies as opposed to the defender strategy. The analysis also reveals that the relationship between broad-based ESO and labor productivity is positive only when organizations utilize the prospector strategy as opposed to other types of strategies (i.e. analyzer and defender strategies).Practical implicationsThe findings first indicate that the decision to adopt a broad-based ESO in organizations should be informed by their business strategy if they want to enhance labor productivity. Specifically, the results demonstrate that only the prospector firms, rather than defenders or analyzers, can reap the productivity benefit of broad-based ESO. Second, since innovation is a major source of productivity for prospector firms, the findings demonstrate that a broad-based ESO can be a vehicle that drives innovation. As a result, firms may want to consider utilizing broad-based ESOs to foster innovation.Originality/valueThe findings emphasize the relevance of the “vertical fit” perspective in examining the broad-based ESO and firm productivity relationship. Most past research utilized the “horizontal fit” framework in refining the relationship between broad-based ESO and productivity. Thus, the study emphasizes the need to utilize the “vertical fit” perspective, and not only the “horizontal fit” perspective, in the broad-based ESO research. Through this, the study meaningfully extends the research on the productivity effect of broad-based ESO by adding an important moderator (i.e. strategy) to the model.

How and when does top management team regulatory focus influence firm environmental misconduct?

Does top management team (TMT) regulatory focus impact firm environmental misconduct (FEM)? If so, how and when? Integrating upper echelons theory with regulatory focus theory, we examine how regulatory focus, as one of the most direct and important psychological characteristics of TMT, impacts FEM. Additionally, we explore how this relationship is moderated by external and internal environmental dynamism from the perspective of regulatory fit. Based on a sample of Chinese listed firms from 2011 to 2017, we conduct computer-aided content analysis to quantify TMT regulatory focus. Results show that TMTs high in promotion focus are more likely to engage in FEM, whereas TMTs high in prevention focus are less likely to misconduct. Moreover, external environmental dynamism strengthens (weakens) the positive (negative) relationship between promotion (prevention) focus and FEM. Internal environmental dynamism strengthens the positive relationship between TMT promotion focus and FEM. By examining this motivation-based psychological characteristic of TMT, the findings suggest the need to consider TMT regulatory focus when analyzing the antecedents of FEM.

Personal factors, entrepreneurial intention, and entrepreneurial status: A multinational study in three institutional environments

Based on the person-entrepreneurship fit perspective, this study examines the role of personal factors, including broad personality traits (openness, extraversion, emotional stability, and conscientiousness), narrow traits (risk-taking propensity, innovativeness, and proactiveness), and personal ability (emotional intelligence) for entrepreneurial intention and status. In this study, two samples are used with entrepreneurial intentions being analyzed among university business students and entrepreneurial status being analyzed by surveying entrepreneurs versus employees. We analyze findings in three different institutional environments (Germany, Russia, and the USA) to also identify potential effects stemming from country context. Therefore, this study offers findings for a (i) comprehensive set of personal factors on (ii) different outcomes in the entrepreneurial process in (iii) different countries. The results suggest that the role of broad personality traits for entrepreneurial outcomes is highly contextual. Also, the role of narrow traits shows some contextuality for which further theorizing is promoted—for instance, while risk-taking propensity seems to be a trait of relevance in all contexts, innovativeness and proactiveness are of different relevance in the different institutional environments. Moreover, the narrow traits that impact entrepreneurial intention and status differ considerably—for instance, innovation is of special relevance for entrepreneurial status, but less important for entrepreneurial intentions. Hence, this study contributes to our understanding not only of individual personal factors contributing to entrepreneurial intention and status but also to understanding which factors overlap for individuals who intend to start a new business and those that do so.

What leads to value co-creation in reward-based crowdfunding? A person-environment fit perspective

With the dramatic growth of internet and platform economics, reward-based crowdfunding (RBC) has become prevalent, providing unprecedented opportunities to small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Nevertheless, crowdfunding projects can find it difficult to succeed. Fundraisers can hardly simultaneously obtain both financial and non-financial benefits. This paper aims to investigate value co-creation including investment and feedback in RBC. After using a focus group to explore the underlying mechanisms of value co-creation in RBC, this research draws from the person–environment fit (P–E fit) theory to develop the research model. We used an online scenario-based survey, 364 valid samples of which were collected. The empirical results show that attractiveness and the P–E fit, including need fulfillment (NF) and value congruence (VC), lead to backers’ intentions to co-create value. Moreover, attractiveness fully mediates the relationship between NF and feedback intention (FI). NF and VC exhibited significantly different effects on FI, in terms of the different product types, that is, entertainment and technology in this research.

How and When Does Psychological Wellbeing Contribute to Proactive Performance? The Role of Social Resources and Job Characteristics.

Are psychologically healthy employees more proactive at work? Surprisingly, responses to this question are lacking as empirical research has overlooked the wellbeing–proactive performance relationship. Drawing insights from the conservation of resources theory and the motivational fit perspective, this study proposes that leader-member exchange and team-member exchange act as social resources that convey the benefits of psychological wellbeing to subsequent proactive performance. Moreover, job complexity and task interdependence—two job characteristics that enhance the motivational potential of social resources—are expected to amplify these positive indirect relationships. Data from a three-wave, time-lagged study conducted among employees (N = 318) from French-Canadian organizations were used to test our hypothesized model. The results indicated that leader-member exchange mediated a positive relationship between wellbeing and proactive performance and that the contribution of wellbeing to proactive performance via leader-member exchange was increased when job complexity was higher. We also found a negative indirect relationship between wellbeing and proactive performance via team-member exchange when team interdependence was lower. Theoretical and practical implications of this research are discussed.

Do We Have a Match? Assessing the Role of Community in Coworking Spaces Based on a Person-Environment Fit Framework.

As working arrangements become more flexible and many people work remotely, the risk of social isolation rises. Coworking spaces try to prevent this by offering not only a workplace, but also a community. Adopting a person-environment fit perspective, we examined how the congruence between workers' needs and supplies by coworking spaces relate to job satisfaction and intent to leave. We identified five needs (i.e., community, collaboration, amenities, location, and cost), of which community was expected to be the central need. An online questionnaire was distributed among coworkers in Germany and Austria, resulting in a sample of 181 coworkers. Results showed that needs-supplies fit regarding community was related to job satisfaction and intent to leave in coworking spaces. Findings for the other needs, however, did not show that congruence is associated with outcomes. Overall, the findings highlight the importance of community fit in coworking and offer insights for workers and entrepreneurs in this area.

Exploring regulatory fit between service relationships and appeals in co-production

Purpose This paper aims to explore how different service relationships (mentoring relationship versus partnering relationship) in service co-production affect service outcomes. Specifically, it aims to explore whether the effects of service relationships on customers’ intention to purchase the service are contingent upon service appeals’ regulatory focus (promotion versus prevention focus) and when the regulatory fit effects exist. Design/methodology/approach Three experimental studies were conducted to test hypotheses. ANOVA and bootstrapping were used to analyze the data. Findings The findings of the three experiments provide convergent evidence for the hypotheses. Specifically, when customers view service employees as mentors (versus partners) in service co-production, promotion-focused (versus prevention focused) service appeals effectively enhance customers’ intention to purchase the service because customers experience a regulatory fit. Moreover, the regulatory fit effects are strengthened or attenuated according to customers’ subjective social status. Practical implications Service firms should adopt promotion-focused (versus prevention-focused) service appeals if employees and customers are having mentoring (versus partnering) relationships, especially when customers have higher (lower) social status. Originality/value To better manage service co-production, this paper investigates beneficial outcomes of mentoring and partnering relationships from a regulatory fit perspective. It highlights the importance of compatibility between service relationship and service appeals’ regulatory focus and demonstrates a novel regulatory fit effect. It also uncovers engagement as the underlying mechanism for the regulatory-fit effect and identifies social class as a boundary condition.

Toward a coping-dueling-fit theory of the ADHD-entrepreneurship relationship: Treatment's influence on business venturing, performance, and persistence

We examine the relationship between Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and entrepreneurship with a specific focus on the influence of treatment. To guide our analysis, we develop the Coping-Dueling-Fit (CDF) theory as an extension to the dueling symptoms and person-environment fit perspectives. The CDF posits that ADHD symptoms' fit with entrepreneurship can act as both an asset and liability, and that coping, which we operationalize as treatment, serves to moderate this relationship to the benefit of the individual. We test our hypotheses by drawing on unique data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics and find that treatment moderates the relationships between ADHD and business venturing, performance, and persistence. A post-hoc analysis further explores nuances in the variety of ADHD including the influences of comorbidity with depression, treatment type, push and pull factors in entrepreneurial entry, as well as persistence in the face of negative performance.

The Detrimental Effects of Ethical Incongruence in Teams: An Interactionist Perspective of Ethical Fit on Relationship Conflict and Information Sharing

Building from an interactionist view of ethics, this study sought to integrate individual and contextual factors for understanding ethical perceptions in teams. Given the proximal nature of team members, this study specifically explored how individuals comparatively evaluate their own ethical behaviors and team members’ ethical behaviors to arrive at a perception of ethical person–group (P–G) fit within a team. Grounding our theoretical arguments in relational schemas theory (Baldwin, Psychological Bulletin 112:461–484, 1992), we demonstrate that interpersonal ethical perceptions can have distal impacts on perceptions of team functioning. The results support the hypotheses that a perceived ethical incongruence between the self and other team members (i.e., lack of ethical P–G fit) negatively influenced perceptions of relationship conflict and ultimately information sharing. By exploring individual and team level aspects of ethics concurrently, we contribute to a deeper understanding of contextual forces in ethics through an interactionist approach.

Continuance use of enterprise social network sites as knowledge sharing platform: perspectives of tasks-technology fit and expectation disconfirmation theory

Enterprise social network sites (ESNS) are widely deployed in many firms to enhance employee collaborations and promote knowledge sharing within the organisation. Although firms tried to exploit th...

What reflects investor sentiment? Empirical evidence from China

<abstract> <p>Investor sentiment tends to show systemic bias on the market, and exerts a significant impact on future market fluctuations, which tends to form an amplified feedback effect. This paper selects three different types of data, namely the emotional text data, the volatility of the stock price and the turnover rate, and other multi-index comprehensive data. Then, this paper formulates different types of investor sentiment indexes through different types of data. From fitting effect of three different types investor sentiment, three different types of investor sentiment index and stock price index correlation to compare the reliability of investor sentiment index. The findings are as follows: First, from the perspective of model fitting, the emotional text-based sentiment index performs better and the model is more robust. Second, from the perspective of market correlation, the text-based sentiment index has the strongest correlation with the stock market. Based on these, the investor sentiment index compiled based on emotional text data more fully reflects investor sentiment.</p> </abstract>

Continuance use of enterprise social network sites as knowledge sharing platform: perspectives of tasks-technology fit and expectation disconfirmation theory

Continuance use of enterprise social network sites as knowledge sharing platform: perspectives of tasks-technology fit and expectation disconfirmation theory

Social Exclusion, Subjective Academic Success, Well-Being, and the Meaning of Trust

Abstract. This article uses a person-environment fit perspective to investigate whether and how educational background and general trust are related to fit (or not) with university life as well as to criteria of subjective academic success and well-being. To analyze how students perceive fit with their university, we measured their perception of exclusion and their affective commitment. The sample includes N = 424 students from two German universities, about half of whom have at least one parent with tertiary education. The results show that especially general trust is related to the subjective criteria of academic success, and that this relationship is mediated by the perception of exclusion, on the one hand, and by the affective commitment, on the other hand. A comparison of the two mediators shows that the perception of exclusion is particularly potent in terms of predicting satisfaction with coping with study demands and general well-being. We discuss the results in terms of their significance to the future diversity management at universities for overcoming social inequality and increasing social inclusion.

Everything comes at a price: The influence of job seekers’ motives on preference in the trade-off between pay and leisure

Recruitment research has often neglected behavioral outcomes in the context of job choice acceptance, and insight into the relationship between individual differences and recruitment outcomes remains scarce. The present paper investigates how the need for achievement, the need for power, and the need for affiliation are related to the preference for either higher pay or more leisure, and we model this relationship as a trade-off. We test our hypotheses with data from 605 individuals. To measure job offer acceptance, we develop a new methodology that allows participants to choose between a set of contracts that are customized for each participant based on individual reference points. We find that the need for achievement and the need for power are significantly positively related to the preference for higher pay, which results in less leisure. We do not find a significant direct effect of the need for affiliation. We discuss the implications of the study in relation to the needs-supplies fit perspective and show the practical applicability of our approach to customizing working contracts.

Exploring Cloud-Based Bookstore Continuance from a Deconstructed Task–Technology Fit Perspective

In an effort to help organizations understand consumers, our study deconstructs task–technology fit into two segments: ideal task–technology fit and individual use context–technology fit. Users’ continuous use of cloud-based bookstores is studied through survey methodology to collect consumer experience data related to the use of such cloud-based bookstores. In total, 185 samples were collected. Analytical results demonstrated that both ideal task–technology fit and individual use context–technology fit were significantly associated with the confirmation of users’ expectations as related to cloud-based bookstores. Expectation confirmation and ideal task–technology fit also have a significant link to users’ perceived usefulness and satisfaction, respectively. Furthermore, perceived usefulness significantly predicts satisfaction. Finally, perceived usefulness and satisfaction are also significantly associated with a users’ continuous use of cloud-based bookstores. As a result of this study’s findings, system administrators may foster suitable strategies for an improvement of users’ continuous use of cloud-based bookstores.

Consumers' Purchase Intention of Organic Food via Social Media: The Perspectives of Task-Technology Fit and Post-acceptance Model.

In the past, consumers were mainly informed about organic food by newspapers, magazines, and television advertisements. However, when consumers buy organic products in the market, they cannot get a complete information about the products from the appearance of the various products. In order to overcome this information asymmetry, social media has become an indispensable part of the promotion of organic food by providing a clear distinction between certified organic products and other types of products in the market. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the antecedents and consequences of the influence of social media on the consumers’ selection of organic food, based on the post-acceptance model (PAM) and task-technology fit model. The empirical results indicated task characteristics and technology characteristics had the significant effects on confirmation of the expectations and perceived usefulness through the task-technology fit. Besides, the confirmation of expectations and perceived usefulness also influenced significantly the satisfaction and continuance intention, respectively. Finally, the results presented in this article would contribute to the practical and academic implications and recommendations on the promotion of organic food in the social media platform.