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Service Innovation in the IT Service Industry: Social Influence and Relationship Exchange Perspectives

and, in turn, the member’s receipt of information, help, and recognition from other team
members” (Seers, Petty, and Cashman, 1995). Numerous related studies have offered
evidence to the existence of a positive link from TMX quality to job performance. For
example, in Scott and Bruce’s (1994) study, high-quality TMX exhibits mutual trust and
respect while showing a willingness to cooperate, exchange resources, and offer support
beyond what is necessary for individual innovation.
The present study posits that high TMX relationships affect employee innovation

intention through enhancing value congruence among team coworkers. Farmer, van Dyne,
and Kamdar (2015) argue high-quality TMX relationships lead to positive team member
workplace interactions, such as coordination and cooperation, encouraging feelings of
team cohesiveness. Drawing on social identity theory, Farmer et al. (2015) find these
positive group relationships can satisfy a need for assimilation that forms identification
with other members, which is a group process generated by social categorization and
depersonalization processes (Ehrhardt and Ragins, 2019). This finding aligns with

relational system theory literature (Kahn, 1998) that argues high quality work relationships
encourage employees to feel connected to the group based on relational needs (Ehrhardt
and Ragins, 2019). These needs assist in achieving satisfaction in task completion
(instrumental support) and familiarity with the work environment (personal support),
which can further augment group members’ perceptions of connectedness, as well as
feelings of closeness and attachment (Ehrhardt and Ragins, 2019). Given that firms in the
IT service industry prioritize internal support and coordination capabilities, high-quality
TMX relationships, akin to other social exchange relationships, should foster consistency
in team member values.

Through fulfilling both needs, TMX strengthens member value congruence{making
it more likely team members will have common beliefs and goals. This in turn increases
willingness to exhibit innovative behavior. From the perspective of uncertainty reduction,
while high-quality TMX affects the formation of value congruency, team members
may feel a sense of safety and positive interpersonal attitudes toward work, increasing
engagement in their tasks (Farmer et al., 2015; Liu, 2021). Organizational research on
individual-level creativity has observed that when team members share similarities, their

close interactions foster positive relationships, thereby facilitating collaborative work-
related activities (Liao et al., 2010). Additional research supports the concept that value
congruence can enhance the experience of psychological presence and connection, which
in turn stimulates further efforts towards achieving team goals (Ehrhardt and Ragins,

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