Overcoming the Help-Seeker’s Dilemma: How Computer-Mediated Systems Encourage Employee Help-Seeking Initiation

• Published in: Organization studies Vol. 36; no. 2; pp. 221 - 240
• Main Authors: Cleavenger, Dean J., Munyon, Timothy P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01.02.2015; Sage Publications Ltd
• Subjects: Anonymity; Communication; Communication channels; Computers; Experiments; Interdependence; Organization theory; Social influence; Studies; Workers; help-seeking; experiment; computer-mediated communication; norms; goal interdependence; self-presentation; communication channel; anonymity; social influence
• ISSN: 0170-8406; 1741-3044
• DOI: 10.1177/0170840614556920

Helping processes are critical for organizations. Yet, research suggests that there are strong disincentives for employees to seek help from others. Drawing on self-presentation theory, this paper tested how computer-mediated communication may be used to stimulate a help-seeking response from worker...