This paper investigates how individual perceptions and attitudes about an organization influence multitasking behaviors in the workplace. While we know that individuals’ behaviors are influenced by the characteristics of their organizations (e.g., ICTs, physical layout), we still do not know much about how the way individuals interpret their organization influences their multitasking behaviors. We first hypothesize that individual perceptions of organizational preferences for multitasking (i.e. organizational polychronicity) have impacts on actually enacted multitasking behaviors. We also hypothesize that the attachment to the organization (i.e. organizational identification) moderates the above relationship. We conducted a mixed method study in two knowledge intensive organizations and collected data through a survey, diaries, and semi-structured interviews. Our findings support the first hypothesis but not the moderating role of organizational identification. However, this latter seems to be directly related on how much a person is willing to work on different activities, but not on how much she interrupts others or accepts being interrupted. Further, our study suggests that not only the organizational context should be investigated in the study of multitasking behaviors, but also the larger work context, including the individuals’ professional communities.

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT AND MULTITASKING BEHAVIORS: A MIXED-METHOD STUDY / Incerti, Valerio; Bertolotti, Fabiola; Mattarelli, Elisa. - CD-ROM. - (2014), pp. 1-15. (Intervento presentato al convegno MCIS 2014: IS in times of metamorphosIS tenutosi a Verona, Italy nel September 03-05 2014).

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT AND MULTITASKING BEHAVIORS: A MIXED-METHOD STUDY

INCERTI , VALERIO;BERTOLOTTI, Fabiola;MATTARELLI, Elisa
2014

Abstract

This paper investigates how individual perceptions and attitudes about an organization influence multitasking behaviors in the workplace. While we know that individuals’ behaviors are influenced by the characteristics of their organizations (e.g., ICTs, physical layout), we still do not know much about how the way individuals interpret their organization influences their multitasking behaviors. We first hypothesize that individual perceptions of organizational preferences for multitasking (i.e. organizational polychronicity) have impacts on actually enacted multitasking behaviors. We also hypothesize that the attachment to the organization (i.e. organizational identification) moderates the above relationship. We conducted a mixed method study in two knowledge intensive organizations and collected data through a survey, diaries, and semi-structured interviews. Our findings support the first hypothesis but not the moderating role of organizational identification. However, this latter seems to be directly related on how much a person is willing to work on different activities, but not on how much she interrupts others or accepts being interrupted. Further, our study suggests that not only the organizational context should be investigated in the study of multitasking behaviors, but also the larger work context, including the individuals’ professional communities.
2014
MCIS 2014: IS in times of metamorphosIS
Verona, Italy
September 03-05 2014
1
15
Incerti, Valerio; Bertolotti, Fabiola; Mattarelli, Elisa
ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT AND MULTITASKING BEHAVIORS: A MIXED-METHOD STUDY / Incerti, Valerio; Bertolotti, Fabiola; Mattarelli, Elisa. - CD-ROM. - (2014), pp. 1-15. (Intervento presentato al convegno MCIS 2014: IS in times of metamorphosIS tenutosi a Verona, Italy nel September 03-05 2014).
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT AND MULTITASKING BEHAVIORS- A MIXED-METHOD study proceedings.pdf

Accesso riservato

Descrizione: Incerti_Bertolotti_Mattarelli_MCIS 2014
Tipologia: Versione pubblicata dall'editore
Dimensione 197.57 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
197.57 kB Adobe PDF   Visualizza/Apri   Richiedi una copia
Pubblicazioni consigliate

Licenza Creative Commons
I metadati presenti in IRIS UNIMORE sono rilasciati con licenza Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal, mentre i file delle pubblicazioni sono rilasciati con licenza Attribuzione 4.0 Internazionale (CC BY 4.0), salvo diversa indicazione.
In caso di violazione di copyright, contattare Supporto Iris

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11380/1060378
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus ND
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? ND
social impact