Effects of Managers Depletion of Emotional and Cognitive Resources on Their Innovative Performance

Abstract

This research explored the mechanisms involved in emotional labors hindrance of managers innovative decision-making. One of main findings was that negative emotions led to cognitive and emotional exhaustion by making managers recall unfair experiences. The occurrence of intrusive thoughts resulted in cognitive closure, weakening radical innovation more than incremental innovation. This study also found that deep acting was a better emotion regulation strategy than surface acting in mitigating the negative effects of emotional labor on emotional and cognitive exhaustion. That was because deep acting involved efforts to change ones true feelings to the required emotions through reappraisal and positive refocusing. The results suggested that firms needed to monitor the extent of their managers emotional labor to make the most of their innovative capabilities.