Organization Science Vol. 24, No. 5, September–October 2013, pp. 1377–1401 ISSN 1047-7039 (print) ISSN 1526-5455 (online) http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/orsc.1120.0808 © 2013 INFORMS Getting Closer at the Company Party: Integration Experiences, Racial Dissimilarity, and Workplace Relationships Tracy L. Dumas Fisher College of Business, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, tldumas@fisher.osu.edu Katherine W. Phillips Columbia Business School, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027,
[email protected] Nancy P. Rothbard Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104,
[email protected] sing survey data from two distinct samples, we found that reported integration behaviors (e.g., attending company Uparties, discussing nonwork matters with colleagues) were associated with closer relationships among coworkers but that this effect was qualified by an interaction effect. Racial dissimilarity moderated the relationship between integration and closeness such that integration was positively associated with relationship closeness for those who were demographically similar to their coworkers, but not for those who were demographically dissimilar from their coworkers. Additionally, this moderation effect was mediated by the extent to which respondents experienced comfort and enjoyment when integrating. These findings highlight the importance of creating the right kind of interactions for building closer relationships between employees, particularly relationships that span racial boundaries. Key words: diversity; boundary theory; racial dissimilarity; high-quality relationships; integration; segmentation History: Published online in Articles in Advance February 28, 2013. Introduction and Rosa 2003, Roberson 2006). These behaviors are Relationships between coworkers are increasingly im- addressed from a number of research perspectives, all portant in today’s organizations, particularly given the with the expectation that they will improve relation- collaborative nature of service and knowledge-based ships.