The influence of service provider's role overload on value co-creation behavior in the sharing economy: a mediated moderation model

PurposeThis study investigates how role overload in the sharing economy leads to emotional exhaustion, which restricts value co-creation activity, and also investigates the moderating effect of perceived platform support.Design/methodology/approachTwo experimental investigations and field research questionnaires were given to respondents with shared mobility industry expertise.FindingsFirst, role overload detrimentally affects service providers' value co-creation behavior; second, emotional exhaustion acts as a mediator between role overload and value co-creation behavior; and finally, perceived platform support moderates the adverse effect of role overload on emotional exhaustion.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors' knowledge, this study is the first to explore the antecedents of value co-creation behavior from the service provider's perspective, extending the application of COR theory in a sharing economy context.Research limitationsFirst, alternative mediators between role overload and emotional exhaustion were not identified. Second, other dimensions of role overload and their impacts were not examined. Lastly, this study did not explore broader perspectives beyond algorithms.Practical implicationsThis study recommends that managers reduce role overload ex ante in terms of clarifying responsibilities and obligations, providing substantive resource support and rationalizing order allocation, respectively.