Yanping Li, Diwan Li, Yidong Tu and Jie Liu
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between servant leadership and life satisfaction through the mediating role of workplace positive affect (WPA), and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between servant leadership and life satisfaction through the mediating role of workplace positive affect (WPA), and the moderating roles of collectivistic orientation and general self-efficacy.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a sample of 304 employees in a two-wave survey, the hypotheses were demonstrated with hierarchical regression analyses.
Findings
The results revealed that servant leadership was positively related to employee life satisfaction, and WPA served as a mediator between them. Moreover, collectivistic orientation and general self-efficacy moderated the relationship between servant leadership and WPA, and the indirect effect of servant leadership on life satisfaction via WPA.
Research limitations/implications
The time-lagged research design of this study may limit the ability to draw causal conclusions. Moreover, as this research was conducted in a Chinese context, the question of the generalizability of our findings calls for more attention.
Practical implications
Leaders are encouraged to adopt the servant leadership style to facilitate employee life satisfaction and organizations should select and recruit managers with servant leadership qualities. Furthermore, because employees’ collectivistic orientation and general self-efficacy moderate the effects of servant leadership on followers’ outcomes, managers need to take individual differences into consideration when they implement managerial strategy.
Originality/value
This research contributed to a burgeoning stream of servant leadership literature by investigating the functions of servant leadership in promoting life satisfaction, and exploring the affective mechanism linking servant leadership and life satisfaction as well as the boundary conditions of collectivistic orientation and general self-efficacy.
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Diwan Li, Yanping Li, Yanghong Hu and Yidong Tu
Drawing on the resource gain development (RGD) perspective, this study is aimed to examine how servant leadership as an environmental resource and general self-esteem as a…
Abstract
Purpose
Drawing on the resource gain development (RGD) perspective, this study is aimed to examine how servant leadership as an environmental resource and general self-esteem as a personal resource influence employees' family performance through work-to-family facilitation (WFF) and explore the moderating effects of gender and Chinese traditionality on the relationship between servant leadership and WFF.
Design/methodology/approach
Two-wave data were collected from 369 employees in China. The structural equation model and path analysis were used to analyze the data.
Findings
The results confirm that WFF mediates the effects of servant leadership and employees' general self-esteem on employees' family performance. Gender and Chinese traditionality moderate the relationship between servant leadership and WFF.
Originality/value
This study contributes to existing research by revealing how specific environmental resources (servant leadership) and personal resources (general self-esteem) impact employee family performance through WFF; it also identifies gender and Chinese traditionality as demand characteristics which moderate the effect of environmental resources on WFF.
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Wu Chen and Yanping Li
The purpose of this paper is to systematically review the evolution, characteristics, motivations, entry patterns, organizational structure and effectiveness of the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to systematically review the evolution, characteristics, motivations, entry patterns, organizational structure and effectiveness of the internationalization of Chinese research institutions in the past 40 years of reform and opening-up.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper describes the evolution and practice of Chinese research institutions “going out” by constructing a theoretical framework diagram and uses official statistics and existing research to explain the authors’ points.
Findings
The research results show that the internationalization of research institutions has undergone four phases: sprout period, starting period, adjustment period and accelerating period. It shows a rapid growth of investment scale, diversification of investment entities, rich and varied forms, and transition to major countries along the “One Belt and One Road.” Expanding the international market, tracking and acquiring technological frontiers, nurturing domestic R&D talents, and evading the risks of political, economic, cultural and scientific differences between home and host countries are the main motivations for Chinese research institutions to “go global.” Multinational corporations have entered the host country with modes such as M&A, greenfield investment and joint R&D alliances in their own strengths and also presented a variety of organizational structures such as integrated R&D networks.
Originality/value
This paper systematically summarizes the internationalized experience model of research institutions with Chinese characteristics since the reform and opening-up. From the perspective of internationalization model transformation, policy integration and cooperation among emerging economies, it presents the opportunities and challenges faced by the research institutions in the process of internationalization and provides a theoretical basis for improving the internationalization ability of research institutions.
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Zonghua Liu, Yulang Guo, Junyun Liao, Yanping Li and Xu Wang
Despite past studies revealed the positive effect of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on consumer advocacy behavior, little research has paid attention to employee advocacy…
Abstract
Purpose
Despite past studies revealed the positive effect of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on consumer advocacy behavior, little research has paid attention to employee advocacy behavior. This research aims to examine the relationship between CSR and employee advocacy behavior, the mediating role of meaningful work as well as the moderating effect of person–supervisor fit on CSR perception – meaningful work relationship.
Design/methodology/approach
This study used 263 employee samples to examine the relationship between CSR and employee advocacy behavior and its influence mechanism. Hierarchical regression analyses and bootstrap approach were applied to analyze the data.
Findings
The results show that CSR perception is positively related to employee advocacy behavior, meaningful work mediates the link between CSR perception and employee advocacy behavior, and the strength of the relationship between CSR perception and meaningful work depends on person–supervisor fit.
Research limitations
This study only investigated the effect of perceived CSR on employee advocacy behavior, future studies should explore the alternative mediation mechanism through which external/internal CSR perception or different CSR dimensions influence employee advocacy behavior.
Practical implications
This study has practical implications for organizational managers. First, firms should undertake CSR practices and make employee interpret them in a right way. Second, meaningful work is of significance for employees and training and development, challenging jobs and job rotation are conducive to create a sense of meaning in employees’ work.
Originality/value
This study discussed how and when CSR influences employee advocacy in the Chinese context.
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Zonghua Liu, Yanping Li, Yulang Guo, Ming Zhang and Thomas Ramsey
With increasing pressure to achieve environmental sustainability, hotel organizations implement green human resource management (GHRM) to inspire employees’ green behavior to…
Abstract
Purpose
With increasing pressure to achieve environmental sustainability, hotel organizations implement green human resource management (GHRM) to inspire employees’ green behavior to improve environmental performance. Following the conservation of resources theory, this research aims to examine how GHRM fosters employee green advocacy.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were obtained from 315 employees from 24 hotels in China. This study used the SPSS PROCESS to test the mediation and moderated mediation model.
Findings
The results showed that GHRM has a positive impact on green advocacy, and harmonious environmental passion (HEP) fully mediates the positive relationship between GHRM and green advocacy. Furthermore, the relationship between GHRM, HEP and green advocacy is moderated by environmentally specific transformational leadership (ESTL). Subsequently, the findings imply that the indirect effect of GHRM on green advocacy via HEP is stronger while ESTL is higher.
Originality/value
This study extends the research on GHRM and green advocacy by exploring how and when GHRM stimulates employee green advocacy via HEP in the Chinese context.
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Yanping Cui, Mao Ying and Hongqi Fan
This paper aims to investigate the average daily consumption of cigarettes and its correlates, attitudes toward smoking, and suggestions for anti‐smoking measures in a sample of…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate the average daily consumption of cigarettes and its correlates, attitudes toward smoking, and suggestions for anti‐smoking measures in a sample of Chinese college student smokers.
Design/methodology/approach
A sample of 150 college student cigarette smokers in Baoding, a city near Beijing, filled out a questionnaire asking about their average daily consumption of cigarettes, attitude toward smoking and their opinions on how they might control their smoking behavior.
Findings
In total, 85.3 percent of the smoking students were males and 14.7 percent females, and males had started smoking earlier. However, and surprisingly, the average daily consumption among females was greater than among males (9.6 vs 5.6 cigarettes a day, p<0.01). Average daily cigarette consumption was significantly associated with perceived health condition (students who thought themselves in poorer health consumed more), perceived risk of cigarette smoking (but with those who thought it harmful actually consuming more than those who did not), frequency of offering cigarettes as gifts, and perceived enjoyment from smoking. The three most commonly reported measures which curbed smoking were friends' or classmates' suggestions, the urging of a boyfriend/girlfriend, and the urging of parents.
Practical implications
Findings in this paper underscore the importance of developing effective smoking cessation programs through gender‐specific approaches at post‐secondary educational institutions as well as coordinating anti‐smoking efforts at multiple levels of educational administration in China.
Originality/value
This paper adds to the few studies on Chinese college students' cigarette smoking practices and student smokers' attitudes toward cigarette smoking. It also reports for the first time possible effective anti‐smoking measures as suggested by the students themselves. The value of this study lies in the finding that cigarette smoking among highly educated individuals in China is on the rise and vigorous research on the smoking behavior of this group should be a high priority.
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Wu Wei, Yanping Li and Pengcheng Zhang
The purpose of this paper is to present a conceptual framework of corporate political performance (CPP) in corporate political activity. In fact, CPP refers to political benefits…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present a conceptual framework of corporate political performance (CPP) in corporate political activity. In fact, CPP refers to political benefits obtained by firms when they formulate and implement political strategies to influence the public policy process though the investment of political resources. This paper focuses on answering what is perhaps the most fundamental question to strategy researchers: “How do firms engage in political strategies to improve their performance?”
Design/methodology/approach
In building a theoretical framework, this paper, first, provides a historical analysis of political efficiency and effectiveness. Then, this paper attempts to illustrate conceptually our understanding of political performance process by a generalized and contingent approach. Finally, this paper discusses the framework, its theoretical contribution and practical implications for Chinese management, and comments on limitations for future research.
Findings
The paper presents a conceptual CPP model that integrates political efficiency and effectiveness approach. In the conceptual framework, three phases of CPP include sources of political advantage, political competitive advantage and political performance outcome, and three dimensions are identified as political efficiency, effectiveness and adaptiveness. CPP approach is not a “generalized” nature of political performance measurement, as the difference among firms and industries in this area may be significant, which reflects the effect of context, reaction and outcome factors.
Research limitations/implications
While it provides a strong theoretical foundation, this paper still has almost little empirical evidence concerning CPP process. However, how to measure CPP has increasingly begun to focus on an important research domain in corporate political strategy literature. This paper believes that this model has a need for future research to test its feasibility by using the measurement scales in Chinese context.
Originality/value
This paper is original in its attempt to measure CPP to help the business practice in corporate of political activity, and broaden corporate political strategy research in mainstream strategic management.
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Wu Wei, Xiang Hu, Yanping Li and Peng Peng
The purpose of this paper is to seek to advance the understanding of competitive interaction framework based on competitive dynamics theory that investigates how nonmarket and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to seek to advance the understanding of competitive interaction framework based on competitive dynamics theory that investigates how nonmarket and market factors concurrently affect the relationships among action and response, their integration, and initiating firm performance.
Design/methodology/approach
To test the hypotheses for this study, the authors used data collected from the news found in web sites of 72 Chinese firms over a five-year period from January 2007 to December 2011. The authors use the approach suggested by Baron and Kenny (1986) to test the mediated effect of rival response and speed, after structured content analysis is adopted to overcome the challenges of identification and measurement by using a sample of competitive actions and responses.
Findings
The results test partial mediating role of rival response and speed in linking nonmarket, market, and integrated action with initiating firm performance outcomes. Rival responses and speed may vary systematically in nonmarket action. The relationship between the integration of competitive action and initiating firm performance is positive, high, and significant.
Research limitations/implications
The results of this study were limited by a sample in China. The authors further need to consider how nonmarket and market components are operationalized in different institutional environments. The authors study only captures observable moves reported in the news of Chinese firms’ web sites. This single-data source collection raises the specter of cognitive bias. It is advised to collect data from multiple sources, perhaps directly measuring the managers’ perception by using a questionnaire-based survey.
Practical implications
Firms whose main focus is to launch market actions in an effort to gain competitive advantage should ensure that their nonmarket actions constitute interfirm rivalry. Particularly, this study also encourages managers to continuously and rapidly integrate nonmarket actions into their analyses of market competition for firm success. Additionally, managers need to develop effective information-processing mechanisms to analyze, monitor, forecast, and interpret rival response and speed for each competitor.
Originality/value
The research contributes to the authors’ understanding of the nature of nonmarket and market competition by bridging nonmarket action into traditional competitive dynamics.
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Xinxin Lu, Yidong Tu, Yanping Li and Chiang-Chun Ho
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the affective and normative mechanisms linking high-commitment human resource management (HCHRM) to employee turnover intention…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the affective and normative mechanisms linking high-commitment human resource management (HCHRM) to employee turnover intention. Accordingly, the authors hypothesize that positive affect and group job satisfaction mediate the relationship between HCHRM and turnover intention.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on a sample of 471 employees and their supervisors from 53 assembly lines in China, the hypotheses were tested with hierarchical linear modeling.
Findings
The results suggested that both positive affect and group job satisfaction significantly mediated the negative relationship between HCHRM and turnover intention. Moreover, the indirect effect of HCHRM on turnover intention via group job satisfaction was larger than that via positive affect.
Practical implications
In the Chinese context, HCHRM practices are effective in reducing turnover intention of the first-line employees on assembly lines. Organizations should show concerns for front-line workers’ positive affect and group job satisfaction to reduce their turnover intention.
Originality/value
The present research contributes to the extant literatures by uncovering the affective and normative mechanisms of the HCHRM-turnover intention association.
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Mengxi Yang, Wansi Chen, Qingyu Zhou, Baiyin Yang and Cheng Xu
China after 1949, especially since entering the 21st century, significant progress has been made in leadership research under Chinese context. However, so far there has been no…
Abstract
Purpose
China after 1949, especially since entering the 21st century, significant progress has been made in leadership research under Chinese context. However, so far there has been no systematic review and prospect of China's leadership research in the past 70 years. Therefore, with the help of scientific visualization software Citespace, this paper analyzes the research papers on leadership in the context of China from the top international journals of management science and applied psychology (1949–2018), supplemented and verified the previous research conclusions based on qualitative review, and quantitatively demonstrated the research evolution of leadership field.
Design Methodology Approach
Using a scientific visualization tool CiteSpace and 145 international leadership works, which were published in 64 top international journals and collected from the Web of Science database, and 852 domestic works which were published in 28 top domestic journals and collected from the CNKI database from 1949 to 2018, we draws keyword co-occurrence knowledge graph and keyword strategy map to visualize the landscape and evolution of leadership research and analyze the hot topics and research trends in the field of leadership.
Findings
The research found that: (1) Before 2002, there were only 7 articles published in 64 international top journal, mainly focusing on Western leadership theories such as transformational, cross-cultural comparison and the adaptability in Chinese context; (2) From 2003 to 2012, scholars had begun to introduce mainstream quantitative research paradigm in international academic community; (3) From 2013 to 2018, researches tended to be synchronized, with 461 and 99 papers published respectively. How emerging leaderships (such as ethical leadership) affect on various emerging outcome variables (such as creativity, voice behavior, unethical pro-organizational behavior etc.) is hot topic for future research.
Originality Value
Different from the previous qualitative reviews on organizational culture research, this paper, for the first time, uses bibliometric research methods to systematically analyze the evolution path of leadership research during the 70 years of China(1949–2018, and puts forward the future research prospects.