A Research on the Mechanism Underlying Employees’ Boundary Spanning Behavior from the Goal Dualistic Perspective—fsQCA and NCA Analysis Based on Social Cognitive Theory

Abstract

Abstract: Based on the duality analysis framework of “task-self”, this study breaks through the implicit assumption that employees’ boundary spanning is “task-oriented”, and introduces a novel interpretation from the perspective of “self-orientation”. By using social cognitive theory, the study identifies five antecedent conditions from both individual and situational levels to examine the varied combinations of antecedent conditions that influence task-oriented and self-enhanced boundary spanning behaviors. Utilizing a sample of 291 corporate employees and employing the fsQCA and NCA methods, the findings reveal: (1) None of the five antecedent conditions constitutes a necessary condition for employees’ boundary spanning behavior. (2) In the paths leading to task-oriented boundary spanning behavior, both individual and situational factors play non-negligible roles, which can be categorized as matching grouping according to the distribution of their core conditions. The paths triggering self-enhanced boundary spanning behavior can be divided into two types: one dominated by individual factors with situational factors as auxiliary, categorized as self-guided grouping, and the other jointly driven by individual and situational factors, classified as synergistic driven groupings. (3) By comparing the configurations including both types of boundary spanning behaviors, it can be found that boundary spanning efficacy plays a pivotal role regardless of the type, and both types have the paths jointly triggered by individual and situational factors. Although the triggering factors are different, some paths can achieve mutual transformation under certain conditions. In addition, self-enhanced boundary spanning has a path dominated by individual factors, which confirms the possibility that employees’ boundary spanning behaviors can be “self-oriented”. This study not only provides a comprehensive theoretical explanation of the antecedents of employees’ boundary spanning behaviors, but also offers practical insights for organizations to effectively motivate employees to engage in boundary spanning behaviors.

Key words: task-oriented boundary spanning behavior, self-enhanced boundary spanning behavior, fsQCA, social cognitive theory, NCA

He Wei, Jiang Xu, Zhang Zheng. A Research on the Mechanism Underlying Employees’ Boundary Spanning Behavior from the Goal Dualistic Perspective—fsQCA and NCA Analysis Based on Social Cognitive Theory[J]. Management Review, 2026, 38(4): 144-156.

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