Abstract

Research shows that employees in closed networks are less innovative because they lack access to diverse knowledge and information. Recognizing this problem, management scholars are investigating how to counteract the knowledge homogeneity in closed networks. Our study reveals that the extent to which employees can compensate for the drawbacks of closed networks are limited. We introduce the “performance ceiling” concept to describe the highest level of individual innovative performance employees can reach in closed networks. Our analysis of data collected from a professional service firm shows that closed networks act like social straitjackets, preventing employees from achieving high levels of innovation.

The Conference

The ANZAM Conference is the annual meeting of the Australian & New Zealand Academy of Management. This year, it is hosted the Faculty of Business and Law, University of Wollongong. The conference theme is “Celebrating Management Research, its Impact and Future”.

The Conference Session

The presentation is part of one of the Organizational Behavior (OB) sessions. The session is chaired by Chad Chiu. All presentations in this session are listed below.

Interaction Effects of Workplace Stressors and Employee Resilience on Depersonalization and Turnover Intentions

Authors: Samina Quratulain, Aqsa Ejaz, Abdul Karim Khan, Meghna Sabharwal

How STEM Women Achieve Objective Career Success Through Networking: A Competence Signal Perspective

Authors: Lingyan Hu, Yan Lui, Zhaolong Fu

When East Meets West: What Do Chinese Employees Talk About When They Talk About Person-Organisation Fit?

Authors: Yuwei Sun, Jon Billsberry

High Performance Work Systems and Employee Expedience at Work: A Test of Mediating Mechanisms

Authors: Aqsa Ejaz, Osama Islam, Samina Quratulain, Delphine Lacaze

Bottleneck or Not? The Ceiling Effect of Network Closure on Individual Innovative Performance

Authors: Stefan Breet, Lotte Glaser, Justin Jansen, Jan Dul