How Ambivalence Toward Digital–AI Transformation Affects Taking-Charge Behavior: A Threat–Rigidity Theoretical Perspective
Digital–AI transformation is revolutionizing the modern workplace, yet its complexity has left many aspects of employee responses underexplored. While previous research has examined some employee reactions to technological change, the nuanced impact of ambivalence toward digital–AI transformation on...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Behavioral Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/15/3/261 |
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| author | Xueliang Pei Jianing Guo Tung-Ju Wu |
| author_facet | Xueliang Pei Jianing Guo Tung-Ju Wu |
| author_sort | Xueliang Pei |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Digital–AI transformation is revolutionizing the modern workplace, yet its complexity has left many aspects of employee responses underexplored. While previous research has examined some employee reactions to technological change, the nuanced impact of ambivalence toward digital–AI transformation on employees’ proactive behavior remains a largely uncharted area. This is especially significant as proactive behavior is crucial for the successful implementation of digital–AI transformation. While presenting unprecedented opportunities, digital–AI transformation has also triggered intricate psychological responses among employees, with ambivalence toward it being particularly prominent. Building on threat–rigidity theory, this study aims to fill a research gap by exploring the impact of ambivalence on employees’ proactive behavior during digital–AI transformation. Using survey data collected from 343 employees undergoing digital–AI transformation, we tested a structural model linking ambivalence, job engagement, and future work self-salience to taking-charge behavior. The results reveal that ambivalence toward digital–AI transformation negatively affects taking-charge behavior. Furthermore, both future work self-salience and job engagement fully mediate this relationship. Additionally, job engagement and future work self-salience jointly play a chained mediating role in the negative effect of ambivalence toward digital–AI transformation on taking-charge behavior. Our findings provide actionable insights for organizations seeking to mitigate ambivalence and foster proactive employee engagement in digital transformation initiatives. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-25bc21ade5ed4ebf80a2bf8752faa6d4 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2076-328X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Behavioral Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-25bc21ade5ed4ebf80a2bf8752faa6d42025-08-20T02:11:25ZengMDPI AGBehavioral Sciences2076-328X2025-02-0115326110.3390/bs15030261How Ambivalence Toward Digital–AI Transformation Affects Taking-Charge Behavior: A Threat–Rigidity Theoretical PerspectiveXueliang Pei0Jianing Guo1Tung-Ju Wu2College of Business Administration, Huaqiao University, Quanzhou 362021, ChinaSchool of Management, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, ChinaSchool of Management, Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT), Harbin 150001, ChinaDigital–AI transformation is revolutionizing the modern workplace, yet its complexity has left many aspects of employee responses underexplored. While previous research has examined some employee reactions to technological change, the nuanced impact of ambivalence toward digital–AI transformation on employees’ proactive behavior remains a largely uncharted area. This is especially significant as proactive behavior is crucial for the successful implementation of digital–AI transformation. While presenting unprecedented opportunities, digital–AI transformation has also triggered intricate psychological responses among employees, with ambivalence toward it being particularly prominent. Building on threat–rigidity theory, this study aims to fill a research gap by exploring the impact of ambivalence on employees’ proactive behavior during digital–AI transformation. Using survey data collected from 343 employees undergoing digital–AI transformation, we tested a structural model linking ambivalence, job engagement, and future work self-salience to taking-charge behavior. The results reveal that ambivalence toward digital–AI transformation negatively affects taking-charge behavior. Furthermore, both future work self-salience and job engagement fully mediate this relationship. Additionally, job engagement and future work self-salience jointly play a chained mediating role in the negative effect of ambivalence toward digital–AI transformation on taking-charge behavior. Our findings provide actionable insights for organizations seeking to mitigate ambivalence and foster proactive employee engagement in digital transformation initiatives.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/15/3/261ambivalence toward digital–AI transformationtaking-charge behaviorthreat–rigidity theory |
| spellingShingle | Xueliang Pei Jianing Guo Tung-Ju Wu How Ambivalence Toward Digital–AI Transformation Affects Taking-Charge Behavior: A Threat–Rigidity Theoretical Perspective Behavioral Sciences ambivalence toward digital–AI transformation taking-charge behavior threat–rigidity theory |
| title | How Ambivalence Toward Digital–AI Transformation Affects Taking-Charge Behavior: A Threat–Rigidity Theoretical Perspective |
| title_full | How Ambivalence Toward Digital–AI Transformation Affects Taking-Charge Behavior: A Threat–Rigidity Theoretical Perspective |
| title_fullStr | How Ambivalence Toward Digital–AI Transformation Affects Taking-Charge Behavior: A Threat–Rigidity Theoretical Perspective |
| title_full_unstemmed | How Ambivalence Toward Digital–AI Transformation Affects Taking-Charge Behavior: A Threat–Rigidity Theoretical Perspective |
| title_short | How Ambivalence Toward Digital–AI Transformation Affects Taking-Charge Behavior: A Threat–Rigidity Theoretical Perspective |
| title_sort | how ambivalence toward digital ai transformation affects taking charge behavior a threat rigidity theoretical perspective |
| topic | ambivalence toward digital–AI transformation taking-charge behavior threat–rigidity theory |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/15/3/261 |
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