Online leader territorial behavior’s conceptualization, measurement, antecedents, and effects

Abstract: Online work has progressively emerged as a prevalent work pattern. Although physical separation from the organization grants employees a high degree of autonomy, it erodes leaders’ sense of control and creates uncertainties. How leaders maintain control in virtuality and thus maintain managerial effectiveness has become a hot topic recently. However, little research has integrated “online work” with “territorial behavior,” which limits the understanding of online control and manifestations of online leader territorial behavior. The present research aims to, first, develop an online leader territorial behavior measurement that fits with the current online work era, providing an empirical measurement tool. Second, this research discusses and analyzes the association between online work and online leader territorial behavior. Moreover, while online leader territorial behavior can alleviate leader concerns about control, it violates employee expectations for autonomy. Therefore, this research proposes and analyzes its double-edged-sword effect. Finally, this research investigates the moderating effect of digital human resource management. Focusing on the topic of online leader territorial behavior can provide meaningful insights for online control.