What Drives the Trickle-Down Effect of Calling Orientation From Supervisors to Subordinates? The Perspective of Social Learning Theory

Abstract

Despite an increase in research on calling orientation, few studies have investigated its antecedents. Drawing on social learning theory, we hypothesized that subordinates’ perceptions of their supervisor’s role modeling mediate the relationship between supervisor’s and subordinates’ calling orientations. Supervisor’s organizational status is supposed to augment the trickle-down process for calling orientation. We used multilevel modeling to test these hypotheses in a sample of 738 subordinates nested in 77 work teams in Chinese firm. We found that supervisor’s calling orientation was positively related to subordinate’s calling orientation and that the relationship was fully mediated by subordinates’ perceptions of role modeling. Additionally, the relationship between supervisor’s calling orientation and subordinates’ calling orientation via role modeling was moderated by supervisor’s organizational status at the second stage.

Pavers of the way: Enablers to a lived calling in an Australian context

“…Foremost amongst these were (1) being presented with opportunities that were taken up (Billett, 2011 ; Haney‐Loehlein et al, 2015 ), (2) receiving support or affirmation from others (Conklin, 2012 ; Dalla Rosa et al, 2019 ; Duffy et al, 2012b ; French & Domene, 2010 ; Haney‐Loehlein et al, 2015 ; Hernandez et al, 2011 ; Sellers et al, 2005 ) and 3) luck (Bright et al, 2005 ; Chen, 2005 ; Hirschi & Valero, 2017 ; Rice, 2014 ). Other themes that presented quite strongly across the literature and this study were having exposure to or engagement with the calling domain (Billett, 2011 ; Conklin, 2012 ; French & Domene, 2010 ; Haney‐Loehlein et al, 2015 ), having mentors (Xie et al, 2019 ), the societal effects on one’s environment, e.g. living in the right place or having work be available (Billett, 2011 ; Conklin, 2012 ; Coulson et al, 2012 ; Hernandez et al, 2011 ), and having opportunities to learn and develop oneself (Dalla Rosa et al, 2019 ; Haney‐Loehlein et al, 2015 ).…”

“…Being also influential in assisting in the process of discovering and/or developing one’s calling were the following external or social factors highlighted by the literature: receiving support or affirmation from others (Conklin, 2012 ; Dalla Rosa et al, 2019 ; Duffy et al, 2012b ; French & Domene, 2010 ; Haney-Loehlein et al, 2015 ; Hernandez et al, 2011 ; Sellers et al, 2005 ), luck (Bright et al, 2005 ; Chen, 2005 ; Hirschi & Valero, 2017 ; Rice, 2014 ), exposure to or engagement with the calling domain, e.g. through volunteering or extracurricular interests (Billett, 2011 ; Conklin, 2012 ; French & Domene, 2010 ; Haney‐Loehlein et al, 2015 ), being presented with new opportunities (Billett, 2011 ; Haney-Loehlein et al, 2015 ), societal effects on their environment (Billett, 2011 ; Conklin, 2012 ; Coulson et al, 2012 ; Hernandez et al, 2011 ), being in a new learning situation or stretched at work (Dalla Rosa et al, 2019 ; Haney‐Loehlein et al, 2015 ), and the role modelling or mentorship of supervisors (Xie et al, 2019 ).…”

Sense of calling, job crafting, spiritual leadership and work meaningfulness: a moderated mediation model

“…Leaders are generally recognized as people who develop, nurture and maintain the values, beliefs and assumptions of organizational settings (Markow and Klenke, 2005). This may explain why spiritual leadership affects the meaning of work employees perceive (Xie et al, 2019). Extended from previous leadership research, spiritual leadership explicates events and inspires others in ways that integrate a clear sense of vision, hope/faith and altruistic love, spiritual survival and workplace spirituality to motivate subordinates to engage in sense-making activities by role modelling (Fry, 2003;Fry et al, 2005;Markow and Klenke, 2005).…”

“…Despite plenty of leadership theories, spiritual leadership reflects followers' intrinsic needs in seeking and pursuing values by continuously motivating the followers with vision, altruistic love and hope/faith that results in further sense of personal spiritual survival (Fry, 2003;Fry et al, 2005). Spiritual leaders not only recognize differences in employee competence, skills and knowledge but also focus on spiritual survival as a basic need that should be required, recognized and appreciated throughout people's lives (Fry, 2003;Fry et al, 2005;Xie et al, 2019). Research regarding job crafting shows that individuals experience work differently according to their motivations, beliefs and values by proactively altering how they complete daily routines.…”

Sustainable leadership and employee innovative behavior: Discussing the mediating role of creative self‐efficacy

“…Along with this study is based upon Bandura's social learning theory. Social learning theory is defined as “people learn from the behavior of others and change their own behavior according to it” (Xie, Zhou, Xia, & Guo, 2019). According to Hinojosa, McCauley, Randolph‐Seng, and Gardner (2014), people benefit from the actions of their leaders that they consider to be appealing and trustworthy to achieve creativity.…”