By collecting and analyzing sample from 384 employees in China, this study explored relationship between responsible leadership and organization citizenship behavior for the environment (OCBE) with structural equation model (SEM). The results are as follows: (1) responsible leadership is positively related to organization citizenship behavior for the environment. (2) responsible leadership has positive effects on both autonomous and external environmental motivation. (3) autonomous and external environmental motivation have a multiple-mediate role in the relationship between responsible leadership and organization citizenship behavior for the environment. Finally, this paper discusses the management implications of the research results and the future research direction.
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the mediating effect of felt obligation for constructive change on the relationship between responsible leadership and organizational citizenship behavior for the environment (OCBE) in a China corporate environment, and this paper also analyze the moderated mediating effect of supervisor-subordinate guanxi on indirect relationship between responsible leadership and OCBE via felt obligation for constructive change.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper used 380 employee samples to analyze the relationship between responsible leadership and OCBE. Hierarchical regression analyses and structural equation modeling was adopted to analyze the data.
Findings
The authors found that the felt obligation for constructive change plays a fully mediating role between responsible leadership and OCBE. The authors also found a positive interaction between responsible leadership and supervisor-subordinate guanxi on felt obligation for constructive change, and then the indirect effect of responsible leadership on OCBE via felt obligation for constructive change was stronger when employees perceived a high-level supervisor-subordinate guanxi.
Research limitations/implications
When responsible leadership stimulates employees to generate a high sense of constructive change, employees are more likely to engage in OCBE. This study provides evidence for cognitive evaluation theory. This study further demonstrated the importance of establishing high-quality supervisor-subordinate guanxi for responsible leaders and subordinates in China.
Practical implications
In the management practice of the organization, the role of responsible leadership should be strengthened in terms of leadership development and, employee training and promotion, and high-quality supervisor-subordinate guanxi help to promote the effectiveness of responsible leadership.
Originality/value
This paper discusses how and when responsible leadership influences OCBE in a China corporate environment.
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