Functional and Linguistic Bridging in Multinational Corporations: Moderating Effect of Cultural Identity Integration

In this study, we explore the role of functional and linguistic bridging in multinational corporations (MNCs) using a sample of 200 Japanese employees working in Japanese overseas subsidiaries. We draw on the social network theory and Job Demands- Resources (JD-R) model to advocate the idea that bridging roles (functional and linguistic bridging) influence team-member exchange (TMX) and emotional exhaustion positively via the mediating role of occupational social capital and role conflict. We found that employees who possess low cultural identity integration were more versatile in moderating between a bridging role, team member relationships, and emotional outcomes. Our findings make a theoretical contribution in exploring bridging roles from both the positive and negative sides of international business. We suggest that although bridge individuals can lead to positive team member relationships, they can also signal emotional burnout stemming from role conflict. We also offer suggestions on how to recognize cultural identity integration as a resource in elaborating on bridging roles and mitigating negative emotional outcomes.