Effect of stretch goals on work–family conflict: Role of resource scarcity and employee paradox mindset
ISSN: 1750-614X
Article publication date: 5 March 2020
Issue publication date: 18 June 2020
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the destructive effects of stretch goals on employees’ work–family conflict (WFC). Drawing on the conservation of resources (COR) theory, this study examines the mediating role of resource scarcity. By integrating the paradox theory with the COR theory, this study explores the moderating role of employees’ paradox mind-set.
Design/methodology/approach
Two-wave data were collected from a sample of MBA students in Northwestern China (N = 294). PROCESS was used to assess a moderated mediation model.
Findings
This study found a positive relationship between stretch goals and WFC, and resource scarcity mediated this relationship. For employees with a high paradox mind-set, the relationship between resource scarcity and WFC was weak; and the indirect effect of stretch goals on WFC via resource scarcity was weak.
Practical implications
Organizations should provide enough resources to employees when using stretch goals. Human resource managers could recruit candidates with high paradox mind-set and foster employees’ paradox mind-set through training.
Originality/value
This study makes contributions to the literature on stretch goals by examining the negative spillover effect of stretch goals on the family domain and exploring the mediating mechanism. This study also extends the paradox theory by using it at micro level to address questions on WFC.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
Conflict of interest: Chang Chen and Zhe Zhang declare that they have no conflict of interest.
This study was funded by grants from National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No.71672139), the Research Funds for Shaanxi Province Overseas Students (Grant No. 18920004), and was sponsored by Humanities and Social Science Talent Plan of Shaanxi University.
Citation
Chen, C., Zhang, Z. and Jia, M. (2020), "Effect of stretch goals on work–family conflict: Role of resource scarcity and employee paradox mindset", Chinese Management Studies, Vol. 14 No. 3, pp. 737-749. https://doi.org/10.1108/CMS-06-2019-0240
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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