The Effect of Role Ambiguity on Task Performance Through Self-Efficacy—A Contingency Perspective

This study integrates theories on self-efficacy and the role theory to explore how role ambiguity influences employee task performance through task self-efficacy in a curvilinear manner. Openness to experience was found to moderate such a curvilinear relation. In addition, this study suggests that task self-efficacy mediated the relationship between role ambiguity and task performance, and between the interactive terms and task performance: role ambiguity, openness to experience. This study emphasizes the importance of considering both the positive and negative effects of role ambiguity, so that the maximum level of task self-efficacy, therefore task performance, can be achieved. It also highlights an individual difference variable, i.e., openness to experience, such that it comes to play in deciding levels of task efficacy and performance. Theoretical contributions, practical implications, and future research directions are discussed.