EXPLORING THE MECHANISM IN WHICH INFORMATION SHARING ON INFORMATION COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES IMPACTS EMPLOYEES’ COORDINATION AND JOB PERFORMANCE THROUGH INCREASING COGNITIVE LOADS

Abstract

　Information communication technologies (ICTs) offer an informational environment that enables organizational members to share information quickly, post and edit texts and files, and host video conferences. While much research has approached ICTs as an informational tool, this study conceptualizes ICTs as an informational environment in which an excessive amount of information can be quickly shared and conversations become complex, which easily breaks down and hinders effective information processing of employees. Therefore, drawing on attentional resources theory (Kanfer and Ackerman, 1989), our study focuses on cognitive load to hypothesize that the cognitive load mediates the relationship between coordination among organizational members and their job performances. This study examines three coordination types on ICTs necessary to reduce information overload and communication overload: organization and maintenance of information, timely responses, and accurate communication in collaborative work on ICTs. Survey data collected from 305 collaborative platforms users at work (study 1) and 226 knowledge workers providing human resources services (study 2) were used to test the hypotheses. The results show that communication overload generated by information sharing via ICTs negatively influenced job performance throughout hindering effective information understanding. In Study 2, coordination among members that groups developed to respond timely and to keep information manageable accurately promoted job performance through reducing communication overload. This study highlights the importance of coordination for maintaining information environment to efficiently acquire the desired information and increase social interaction.