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Asia Pacific Journal of Management

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01-06-2013

Favor in exchange for trust? The role of subordinates’ attribution of supervisory favors

Authors: Xinhui Jiang, Chao C. Chen, Kan Shi

Published in: Asia Pacific Journal of Management | Issue 2/2013

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Abstract

Favor exchange is known to be essential for building personal relationships (guanxi) in China. In two studies, we explore the effect of supervisory favors on subordinates’ trust in supervisor; we further explore how subordinates’ attributions of supervisory favors affect trust in supervisor independently and in interaction with supervisory favors. We find evidence that supervisory favors has a positive effect on trust in the supervisor; merit attribution of supervisory favors has a positive effect on trust in the supervisor but personal favor attribution has a negative effect; merit attribution also moderates the effect of supervisory favors such that supervisory favors has a stronger positive effect on trust in the supervisor for subordinates who make higher merit attribution than for those who make lower merit attribution. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

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Title: Favor in exchange for trust? The role of subordinates’ attribution of supervisory favors
Authors: Xinhui Jiang
Chao C. Chen
Kan Shi
Publication date: 01-06-2013
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: Asia Pacific Journal of Management / Issue 2/2013
Print ISSN: 0217-4561
Electronic ISSN: 1572-9958
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10490-011-9256-6

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