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Effect of guanxi on Chinese subordinates' work behaviors: a conceptual framework

Shih Yung Chou, Bo Han, Xiaohu Zhang

Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Administration

ISSN: 1757-4323

Article publication date: 1 April 2014

677

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to investigate a subordinate's perception of supervisor-subordinate guanxi and its impact on the subordinate's work-related outcomes.

Design/methodology/approach

This study draws upon relevant literature and develops a theoretical framework that investigates the relationships among a subordinate's perceived supervisor-subordinate guanxi, loyalty to supervisor, challenge-oriented organizational citizenship behaviour (OCB), affiliation-oriented OCB, job security perception, and task performance.

Findings

This study suggests first, subordinate-supervisor guanxi will have a positive impact on a subordinate's loyalty to supervisor. Second, subordinate-supervisor guanxi will negatively affect a subordinate's challenge-oriented OCB, but will positively affect a subordinate's affiliation-oriented OCB. Third, a subordinate's loyalty to supervisor will negatively influence his or her challenge-oriented OCB, but will positively influence his or her affiliation-oriented OCB. Fourth, challenge-oriented OCB will negatively affect job security perception, whereas affiliation-oriented OCB will positively affect job security perception. Finally, job security perception will positively influence task performance.

Research limitations/implications

This study has several limitations. First, it does not consider the role of personality traits in determining work-related behaviours. Second, it only considers a one-to-one guanxi relationship. Thus, the results of this study could be different when a supervisor has one-to-many guanxi relationships.

Practical implications

This study suggests that a supervisor should take how to create quality informal relationships with subordinates into account when attempting to motivate Chinese subordinates' task and extra-role performance. Moreover, managers should manage effective informal social networks with subordinates proactively.

Originality/value

This study is one of the few studies that examine the impact of subordinate-supervisor guanxi on both extra-role and in-role performance from the perspective of singular view of subordinate-supervisor guanxi.

Keywords

Citation

Yung Chou, S., Han, B. and Zhang, X. (2014), "Effect of guanxi on Chinese subordinates' work behaviors: a conceptual framework", Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Administration, Vol. 6 No. 1, pp. 18-35. https://doi.org/10.1108/APJBA-04-2013-0033

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2014, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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