Drivers and Performance Implications of Frontline Employees' Social Capital Development and Maintenance: The Role of Online Social Networks*.

Building upon social capital theory, we identify different attributes of frontline employee (FLE) social capital and outline how the use of online social networks (OSNs) can enable social capital development and social capital maintenance. We examine key boundary conditions of time management skills, perceived innovation climate, and customer perceived FLE responsiveness. Use of multi‐informant data from FLEs working in B2B sales/service roles, their customers, and managers enabled a comprehensive analysis that accounts for the endogenous nature of the predictor variables. We find the use of OSNs relates to social capital development and maintenance. Time management skills strengthen links between OSNs and both forms of social capital. However, perceived innovation climate plays a moderating role only in the social capital development process. Unique pathways connecting social capital development to customer loyalty with the firm and social capital maintenance to FLE sales performance were noted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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