How Supervisor-Subordinate Guanxi Influence Employee Innovative Behavior: A Moderated Mediation Model

The Effect of Leader Perfectionism on Employee Deviance: An Interpersonal Relationship Perspective

Purpose

Despite growing evidence of significant role of leader perfectionism in the workplace, few theoretical accounts have delved into intricate dynamics of interpersonal relationships impacted by leader perfectionism, nor have they explored the extent to which these interactions might stimulate employee unethical behavior. From an interpersonal relationship perspective, based on interpersonal complementarity theory, this study proposes a link between leader perfectionism and employee deviant behavior while assessing the mediating impact of supervisor-subordinate relationship conflict, and the moderating influence of employee narcissism.

Methods

This study employed three-wave surveys, with 335 employees (female 55.8%, 26-35 years old 67.4%, bachelor's degree 61.5%, worked 3-10 years 67.4%, worked with their current leader 1-5 years 66.3%) across 11 enterprises in Chinato reduce the risk of common method bias. On this basis, MPLUS 7.4 was used to test the confirmatory factor analysis of data, and SPSS 24.0 was used to test the hypotheses.

Results

(1) Leader perfectionism has a positive effect on supervisor-subordinate relationship conflict. (2) Leader perfectionism has a significantly positive effect on employee deviant behavior via supervisor-subordinate relationship conflict. (3) Employee narcissism positively moderates the relationship between leader perfectionism and supervisor-subordinate relationship conflict, and further positively moderates the indirect effect of leader perfectionism on employee deviant behavior via supervisor-subordinate relationship conflict.

Conclusion

This study reveals the mechanism of how employee through deviant behavior as a opposition to leader perfectionism from an interpersonal relationship perspective, which provides theoretical and practical implications for reducing the negative impact of leader perfectionism and employee deviant behavior.

Impact of Co-Worker Ostracism on Organizational Citizenship Behavior Through Employee Self-Identity: The Moderating Role of Ethical Leadership

Purpose

Positive interpersonal interactions are indispensable for employees to engage in organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) that benefits teamwork; however, co-worker ostracism triggers interpersonal isolation, inhibiting OCB. This research aims to leverage the intervention of ethical leadership in the ostracism-OCB relationship to moderate the harmful ostracism and promote ostracized employees' OCB through employee self-identity.

Methods

This research chose 122 MBA to participate in Study 1's scenario experiment to verify the causality between variables. Study 2 used 295 valid questionnaires from full-time employees to generalize the experimental results to field settings and compensate for external validity. Two studies used Hayes's conditional process model to test the conditional direct and indirect relationships.

Findings

This research revealed that high levels of ethical leadership effectively transitioned the harmful ostracism and promoted ostracized employees' OCB by satisfying ostracized employees' needs for identity recognition. Accordingly, the direct and indirect effects of co-worker ostracism on OCB through employee self-identity would be positive at high levels of ethical leadership, but negative at low levels.

Originality

This research first introduces an identity perspective on ethical leadership in moderating the ostracism-OCB relationship. Based on the social identity theory of leadership, this research fills the gap in ostracism and OCB research calling for leadership interventions. It extends a novel insight into inspiring ostracized employees' participation in OCB through employee self-identity.

Practical Implications

This research provides the managerial applications of ethical leadership for China organizations to reduce inadvertent inactions, accept employees' identities, and value interpersonal communication for effectively transitioning harmful ostracism.

Effects of Superior-Subordinate Guanxi on Employee Innovative Behavior: The Role of Follower Dependency and Work Passion

In the face of an increasingly complex competitive environment, a company's ability to innovate is the key to a gaining sustainable competitive advantage. As the cornerstone of an organization's survival and development, employee innovative behavior is key to enhancing an organization's innovative capability. Based on a conservation of resources, this study investigates the mechanism of the role of superior-subordinate guanxi on employees' innovative behavior from both emotional and cognitive perspectives. Through the analysis of 305 full-time employees' research data, the results show that superior-subordinate guanxi can promote employees' innovative behavior by stimulating their work passion and reducing their dependence on superiors. Our research provides certain theoretical guidance and policy recommendations for enterprises to improve the innovation ability of employees by revealing the internal mechanism of superior-subordinate guanxi affecting the innovation behavior of employees.

The influence of benevolent leadership on knowledge sharing of postgraduate supervisor: A moderated mediating model

In order to explore the mechanism and boundary conditions of the influence of benevolent leadership on knowledge sharing, we took postgraduate supervisor as participants and constructed a moderated mediating effect model. In this study, a total of 1,083 valid questionnaires were collected by questionnaire method and the confirmatory factor analysis, correlation analysis, regression analysis, and Hayes's PROCESS macro were used to analyze the data. The results show that benevolent leadership positively affects knowledge sharing. Creative self-efficacy mediates the relationship between benevolent leadership and knowledge sharing. Professional identity moderates the relationship between benevolent leadership and creative self-efficacy, when the professional identity is (M - 1 SD) and (M + 1 SD), the moderating effect is significant, while when the professional identity is (M), the moderating effect is not significant. Research stress moderates the relationship between creative self-efficacy and knowledge sharing, when research stress is (M - 1 SD), (M), and (M + 1 SD), the moderating effect is significant. Professional identity and research stress jointly moderated the mediating effect of creative self-efficacy. Professional identity moderated the first half path of the mediating model, while research stress moderated the second half path of the mediating model. When the level of professional identity is high and research stress is high, benevolent leadership has the greatest positive influence on knowledge sharing through creative self-efficacy. When the level of professional identity is low and research stress is high, benevolent leadership has the greatest negative influence on knowledge sharing through creative self-efficacy. This study enriches the relevant research on benevolent leadership and knowledge sharing, explores the conditions and factors that enhance or buffer benevolent leadership, and shows that the best effect can be achieved when the leadership behavior is consistent with the situational factors.

How to enhance psychological security of enterprise employees during the COVID-19 pandemic: Based on MRA and fsQCA

The economic impact caused by the outbreak and dynamic evolution of COVID-19 has reduced employees' psychological security (PS), which not only threatens the physical and mental health of employees but also seriously affects the stable operation and sustainable development of enterprises. PS has been determined to be closely related to daily life experiences. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to examine the types and combinations of life events that improve employees' PS during the pandemic. Cross-sectional data came from 764 enterprise employees in 8 provinces and cities in China during the pandemic period. The participants completed the PS scale to evaluate their PS, and the PS events scale to evaluate the different types of daily life events they experienced. Multiple regression analysis (MRA) and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) methods were used to test the research hypothesis. The results of MRA suggest that rich leisure activities (RLA), harmonious family relationship (HFR), stable economic order (SEO) and recognition and support from others (RSO) are important life events that enhance employees' PS. The results of fsQCA suggest that the independent role of SEO, the combined role of sound social security system (SSSS), peace and health events (PHE) and HFR, the combined role of PHE, fulfilling work/life status (FWLS), SEO and RSO can substitute for each other to promote employees' high PS. This article reveals the contribution of daily life events to the PS of enterprise employees, and provides an empirical basis for formulating corresponding intervention measures to promote the physical and mental health of enterprise employees and effective enterprise management.

The Influence of Taoism on Employee Low-Carbon Behavior in China: The Mediating Role of Perceived Value and Guanxi

Purpose

We established a dual-pathway model in which Taoism at work can shape employee low-carbon behavior via two mediating mechanisms: perceived value as a psychological mediator and guanxi as a social mediator.

Patients and Methods

Data were collected from 788 Chinese enterprises employees.

Results

Our results confirm the direct positive effect of Taoism on employee low-carbon behavior and the partial mediating effects of perceived value and co-worker guanxi. However, supervisor-subordinate guanxi does not mediate the relationship between Taoism and employee low-carbon behavior.

Conclusion

Despite the key role of employee low-carbon behavior, the individual-level antecedent to employees’ pro-environmental behavior remains underexplored. This study examines the influence of Taoism (an individual-level cultural value) on employee low-carbon behavior in the Chinese context. Theoretical and managerial implications were discussed.

How Does Self-Sacrificial Leadership Foster Knowledge Sharing Behavior in Employees? Moral Ownership, Felt Obligation and Supervisor-Subordinate Guanxi

Recent trends in the academic literature indicate growing interest in leadership for fostering employees' knowledge sharing. In this research, we integrate social cognitive theory and social exchange theory to explain how and when self-sacrificial leaders promote employee knowledge sharing. It is found that self-sacrificial leaders influences employees' knowledge sharing by nurturing employee moral ownership and a sense of obligation to the organization. We also found the moderating effect of supervisor-subordinate guanxi on the self-sacrificial leadership—employees' knowledge sharing link. We discuss the implications of these findings for understanding and promoting self-sacrificial leaders and employees' knowledge sharing behaviors in the workplace.

Understanding the Link Between Work-Related and Non-Work-Related Supervisor–Subordinate Relationships and Affective Commitment: The Mediating and Moderating Roles of Psychological Safety

Purpose

Based on social information processing (SIP) model and conservation of resources (COR) theory, this paper is to examine the mediating and moderating roles of psychological safety (PS) in the relationship between work-related leader-member exchange (LMX)/non-work-related supervisor-subordinate guanxi (SSG) and employee affective commitment (AC).

Participants and Methods

Cross-sectional data came from 213 enterprise employees in China. The participants completed the LMX scale, SSG scale, PS scale, and AC scale. SPSS PROCESS macro and RWA-Web were used to test the research hypothesis.

Results

Both LMX and SSG were positively related to employee AC. LMX was more strongly associated with AC than SSG. PS partially mediated the influence of LMX/SSG on AC. PS negatively moderated the influence of LMX on AC, whereas it did not moderate the influence of SSG on AC.

Conclusion

Different types of supervisor-subordinate relationships (SSR) were both beneficial to employee AC, and work-related LMX was more closely related to employee AC. Different types of SSR could both affect employee AC through PS. In addition, high PS also reduced the relationship between LMX and employee AC. Therefore, in the context of Chinese culture, enhancing employees’ AC within an enterprise can not only pay attention to the work-related LMX and non-work-related SSG but also the appropriate cultivation of employees’ PS.