A paradoxical view of social network site friendships: from the boundary theory perspective

ABSTRACT This study examines how social networking site (SNS) workplace friendships influence organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) in the hospitality sector, drawing on boundary theory and a dual-mediation model. Three-wave survey data were collected via WeChat from 426 frontline hotel employees and 40 matched managers in high-end hotels across four major cities in China. Results show whereas SNS friendships enhance psychological attachment, promoting OCB toward coworkers, they also undermine work-life balance, reducing OCB toward the organization. These findings highlight the paradoxical effects of SNS friendships, offering insights for managing digital interactions in hospitality contexts.