Paternalistic leadership and innovation: the moderating effect of environmental dynamism

2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 562-582 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bojun Hou ◽  
Jin Hong ◽  
Kejia Zhu ◽  
Yu Zhou

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to focus on how the three elements of paternalistic leadership – authoritarianism, benevolence and moral leadership – affect organizational innovation – both explorative and exploitative innovation – in Chinese enterprises. It also examines the moderating effect of environmental dynamism on the relationship between paternalistic leadership and organizational innovation. Design/methodology/approach Data on 190 superior–subordinate dyads are collected using questionnaire surveys. The supervisors are recruited from the MBA program in a famous university in the city of Hefei, China, who are also asked to distribute subordinate questionnaires to their subordinates. The hierarchical regression analysis is conducted to test the hypotheses by using SPSS 22.0. Findings The analysis of 190 superior–subordinate dyads shows that benevolent and authoritarian leadership is positively related to exploratory innovation, while moral leadership has no significant impact on exploratory innovation. The results also reveal that all three elements of paternalistic leadership is, in general, positively correlated with exploitative innovation. Furthermore, environmental dynamism moderates the relationship between paternalistic leadership and innovation. In a dynamic environment, moral leadership has a stronger positive effect on innovation, but only on exploratory innovation; whereas authoritarian leadership exerts more detrimental effects on both exploratory and exploitative innovation. Originality/value The current work contributes to understanding the relationship between paternalistic leadership and innovation in the Chinese cultural context by examining the effects of the three elements of paternalistic leadership separately and by showing how these effects can be moderated by environmental dynamism.

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-22
Author(s):  
Lei Qi ◽  
Bing Liu ◽  
Kaixian Mao

Purpose In the background of the post-financial crisis era and the transition of China’s economic development, the frequent occurrence of workplace deviant behavior in the economic field, such as stealing, bribery, caused a huge impact on the enterprise. In recent years, the deviant behavior of employees has been increased noticeably. The purpose of this study is to explore the influence of paternalistic leadership on employee deviant behavior in workplace. To have a deep understanding of the relationship between paternalistic leadership and employee deviant behavior, the author’s design rule oriented ethical climate and self-interest oriented ethical climate as two mediators in this research model. Design/methodology/approach Based on social learning theory and stressor-emotion model, this study conducts an investigation of influence mechanism between paternalistic leadership and workplace deviant behavior. Time-lagged data was collected from 226 employees from six cities in China. To test the hypothesis that the authors developed in this paper, the authors use empirical models from the existing literature about paternalistic leadership on employee deviant behavior. They establish multiple linear regressions to test the hypotheses. Findings This study reveals the direct effect of authoritarian leadership on employee deviant behavior and the moderated roles of benevolent leadership and moral leadership, also analysis the mediated mechanism of self-interest oriented ethical climate and rule oriented ethical climate. The results show that the higher the degree of authority leaders show in the organization, the easier to stimulate workplace deviance of employee, self-interest oriented ethical climate and rule oriented ethical climate play mediated role between authoritarian leadership and workplace deviant behavior. The interaction of benevolent leadership and moral leadership with authoritarian leadership can weaken the self-interest oriented ethical climate but has nothing to do with rule oriented ethical climate. Originality/value This study has three main contributions to the previous literature. First, this study explores the relationship between authoritarian leadership and employee workplace deviance, which could enrich the research on these negative behaviors in the Chinese context. Second, this study unpacks the “black box” in which authoritarian leadership influences employee workplace deviant behavior. Third, this study further examines the impacts of different combinations of the three factors of paternalistic leadership.


2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 264-277 ◽  
Author(s):  
Preeti S. Rawat ◽  
Shiji Lyndon

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to study the effect of paternalistic leadership of the boss on the trust of the subordinate. Design/methodology/approach The present study adopted survey method to test the hypotheses. Paternalistic leadership style was measured by a 24-item scale developed by Cheng et al. (2004). Trust was measured by a four-item scale by Schoorman and Ballinger (2006). Data were collected from a sample of 253 respondents. Findings The results show that in India, paternalistic leadership style leads to subordinate trust. The result further found that though benevolent and moral leadership leads to trust, authoritarian leadership does not lead to formation of trust. Practical implications The study has important implications in areas like managing leader–member relations, leadership training and team efficacy. Originality/value Leadership researchers in Indian context have largely adopted etic approach which attempts to generalize Western leadership theory to Indian context. However, uncritical adaptation of techniques developed in Western context may not be effective in the Indian cultural environment. The concept of paternalistic leadership was developed in Chinese context, but as India scores high on paternalism, the present study uses the paternalistic leadership style to study its effect on subordinate’s trust on leader.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sajjad Nazir ◽  
Amina Shafi ◽  
Muhammad Ali Asadullah ◽  
Wang Qun ◽  
Sahar Khadim

PurposeThis study examines the serial mediation mechanism between paternalistic leadership and innovative work behavior through the leader–member exchange (LMX) and employee voice behavior. Particularly, this study utilized the social exchange theory to investigate the indirect effect of three distinct dimensions of paternalistic leadership style on innovative work behavior through LMX and employee voice behavior.Design/methodology/approachSelf-reported questionnaires were used to collect data from 397 employees in Pakistan. Hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling (SEM).FindingsThe two dimensions of paternalistic leadership were significantly related to LMX. LMX had a significant effect on employee voice behavior that was further related to innovative work behavior. The findings also support the mediating role of LMX between authoritarian and moral leadership and employee voice. Further, LMX and employee voice boosted the indirect relationship between moral leadership and innovative behavior. However, authoritarian leadership demonstrated a significant but negative indirect effect on innovative behavior through LMX and employee voice.Practical implicationsThe organizational members need to encourage a high LMX and voice behavior to enhance the positive effects of benevolent and moral leadership styles on innovative employee behaviors. Contrarily, they need to discourage authoritarian leadership if they want to enhance innovative work behavior through LMX and employee voice. Furthermore, when leaders provide a safe environment to employees at the workplace, then they may feel secure to take risks and exhibit innovative work behavior, which ultimately contributes to increasing employee and organizational performance.Originality/valueThis study extended the existing literature on paternalistic leadership in two important ways. First, this study examined a serial mediation mechanism to test the effect of paternalistic leadership on innovative work behavior through LMX and voice behavior. Second, this is a key study to investigate which dimension of paternalistic leadership is effective to boost employees' innovative work behavior at the individual level in the Pakistani organizational context.


2019 ◽  
Vol 57 (3) ◽  
pp. 621-648 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tuan Trong Luu ◽  
Nikola Djurkovic

PurposeReflecting a behavioral orientation specific to leaders in Confucian-based cultures, paternalistic leadership appears relevant to the Vietnamese business context. Taking healthcare organizations in Vietnam as a source of data collection, the purpose of this paper is to seek an insight into the relationship between paternalistic leadership and idiosyncratic deals (i-deals) among clinical members.Design/methodology/approachThe data were harvested from 1,182 clinical employees and 168 direct supervisors from 19 hospitals in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.FindingsThe data analysis revealed that authoritarian leadership behaviors displayed a weak negative link with employees’ i-deals, while the benevolence and morality dimensions of paternalistic leadership exhibited positive relationships with i-deals. The research results also provide evidence for the roles of organizational identification and role breadth self-efficacy (RBSE) in mediating the relationships between paternalistic leadership dimensions and i-deals. The current study also verified the utility of employees’ flexible role identity as an enhancer of both the relationship between organizational identification and i-deals, as well as of the relationship between RBSE and i-deals.Originality/valueThis study extends the leadership literature by unveiling the role of paternalistic leadership in fostering i-deals among clinicians through organizational identification and RBSE as dual mediation paths as well as flexible role identity as a moderator of the relationship between both organizational identification and RBSE and i-deals.


2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 645-663 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guohua He ◽  
Ran An ◽  
Patricia Faison Hewlin

PurposeThis paper aims to explore the psychological mechanism in the relationship between paternalistic leadership (PL) and employee well-being (EWB) in cross-cultural nonprofit organizations. It also aims to further promote the integration of research on PL and self-concept by examining the relationship between PL and collective self-concept (CSC).Design/methodology/approachData were collected on 72 supervisors and 233 expatriate Chinese teachers from 42 Confucius Institutes and 15 Confucius classrooms in Canada and the USA.FindingsPL has a significant effect on EWB. Benevolent and moral leadership are positively related to CSC, while authoritarian leadership is negatively related to CSC. CSC mediates the relationship between PL and EWB. Furthermore, employees’ cross-cultural adaptability positively moderates the relationship between CSC and EWB; the indirect effect between PL and EWB via CSC is stronger for employees with stronger cross-cultural adaptability.Originality/valueThis is the first study that has examined the psychological mechanism under which PL affects EWB in cross-cultural nonprofit organizations. It contributes to the integration of research on PL and CSC by examining its relationship for the first time. It provides important implications for improving the well-being of expatriate employees in cross-cultural organizations.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
ShanLiang Zhang ◽  
Xuefei Liu ◽  
Yana Du

PurposeThis paper aims to explore the mechanism and boundary conditions of authoritarian leadership that influence employee innovation behavior (EIB) in Chinese culture based on the leader–member exchange theory and state–trait theory.Design/methodology/approachThe authors used Mplus and SPSS to test the proposed model with data from 286 leader–employee dyads in Chinese companies. In this study, questionnaires were collected through commission and field investigation.FindingsThe results indicate that authoritarian leadership can positively influence perceived insider status and EIB within a certain range in Chinese organizational culture, although this is counterintuitive. In addition, perceived insider status has a high level of explanatory power on EIB and can mediate the relationship between authoritarian leadership and EIB. Furthermore, proactive personality can moderate the positive influence of authoritarian leadership on perceived insider status.Originality/valueInnovation management is inseparable from the specific organizational cultural context. This paper argues that the relationship between authoritarian leadership and EIB in the context of organizational culture in China may differ from that in the west. This study constructs a unique research model and offers new insights into when and how EIB can be influenced by authoritarian leadership.


2020 ◽  
Vol 44 (4/5) ◽  
pp. 405-424
Author(s):  
Dae Seok Chai ◽  
Shinhee Jeong ◽  
Baek-Kyoo Joo

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of developmental opportunities and perceived pay equity-and paternalistic leadership on affective organizational commitment and the moderating role of paternalistic leadership at the team level in a Korean context. Design/methodology/approach Hierarchical linear modeling with a two-level design was used to analyze data collected from 844 employees and 59 work teams. Findings The study identified that developmental opportunities and perceived pay equity were significantly associated with affective organizational commitment. However, paternalistic leadership was not significantly related to affective organizational commitment. The results also showed that the moderation effect of paternalistic leadership on the relationship between pay equity and organizational commitment was non-significant, and paternalistic leadership moderated the relationship between developmental opportunities and organizational commitment. In particular, the relationship of developmental opportunities with organizational commitment became weaker when the supervisor’s paternalistic leadership was stronger. Research limitations/implications The results of this study supported the applicability of organizational support theory and previous empirical studies supporting the relationships between human resource (HR) practices and commitment, particularly in the Korean cultural context. The results have several practical implications for employers, mangers and HR practitioners in an East Asian cultural context. Originality/value This study extends the body of knowledge in leadership research by investigating the influences of two key factors of HR practices and a Confucianism-based indigenous leadership theory on organizational commitment. More importantly, the results can guide future cross-national or cross-organizational studies exploring the relationships among leadership, organizational culture and organizational effectiveness. This study also offers clearer empirical evidence for why and how developmental opportunities and perceived pay equity need to be enhanced in an East Asian cultural context.


2020 ◽  
Vol 43 (7) ◽  
pp. 787-810
Author(s):  
Sumayya Surty ◽  
Caren Brenda Scheepers

Purpose The environment has become increasingly dynamic, characterised by hyper turbulence and high-velocity. While research has confirmed the influence of leadership on the effectiveness of change, the author knows less about how increased environmental dynamism influences the relationship. This study aims to investigate how this relationship is impacted under highly uncertain and dynamic external conditions. Design/methodology/approach To investigate the moderating effect of environmental dynamism on leadership practices and employees’ response to change, 1,536 employees’ survey responses were analysed from various organisations in South Africa. Moderator regression models were used to examine relationships. Findings Environmental dynamism has a slight significant strengthening effect on the relationship between leadership practices and response to change, with regard to commitment to the change; efficacy, that is, the belief in whether the change will lead to the efficacy of the organisation; and valence or attractiveness of the change. However, no significant positive moderator effect on the impact of leadership practices on active support for change. Tenure as control variable also did not have a significant influence on the model. Practical implications Organisations must take note that under dynamic conditions: employees’ belief about the efficacy of change is influenced by leadership practices, but not the active support for the change. Leadership must, thus, check whether employees’ positive responses are indeed going over in action to implement change. Originality/value This study contributes an important moderator effect: the more dynamic the environment, the greater the impact leadership practices have on employee response to change.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 256
Author(s):  
Wen-Long Zhuang ◽  
Chun-Han Lee ◽  
Chung-Liang Ma

This study explores the effect of paternalistic leadership (moral leadership, benevolent leadership, and authoritarian leadership) on hotel employees’ voice behavior and the moderating role of organizational identification. This study samples employees of five-star hotels in northern, central, and southern Taiwan. Purposive sampling is used to distribute 450 questionnaires: 150 in northern Taiwan, 150 in central Taiwan, and 150 in southern Taiwan. The number of valid questionnaires was 359, and the effective questionnaire recovery rate was 79.78%. The analysis results indicate that (1) supervisors’ moral leadership negatively affects hotel employees’ voice behavior, (2) supervisors’ benevolent leadership positively affects hotel employees’ voice behavior, (3) supervisors’ authoritarian leadership negatively affects hotel employees’ voice behavior, (4) organizational identification moderates the relationship between moral leadership and voice behavior, (5) organizational identification moderates the relationship between benevolent leadership and voice behavior, and (6) organizational identification moderates the relationship between authoritarian leadership and voice behavior. This study also proposes managerial implications based on the analysis results. This research attempts to make contributions to the literatures of hospitality and tourism.


2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 739-762 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lu Chen ◽  
Baiyin Yang ◽  
Runtian Jing

ABSTRACTIn this article, we propose that types of CEO paternalistic leadership will affect the effectiveness of top management team (TMT) decisions, and that team conflict will play a mediating role in the relationship between CEO paternalistic leadership and decision effectiveness in the Chinese context. Data collected from 108 TMTs in China suggest that dimensions of paternalistic leadership significantly affect decision effectiveness: benevolent and moral leadership positively affect TMT decision effectiveness, but authoritarian leadership has negative effects on TMT decision effectiveness. In addition, cognitive and affective team conflicts partially mediate the links between paternalistic leadership types and decision effectiveness. The results suggest that CEO paternalistic leadership approaches and conflict modes significantly determine TMT decision effectiveness.


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