Top

Asia Pacific Journal of Management

Published in:

01-03-2014

From good friends to good soldiers: A psychological contract perspective

Authors: Chih-Ting Shih, Cheng-Chen Timothy Lin

Published in: Asia Pacific Journal of Management | Issue 1/2014

Activate our intelligent search to find suitable subject content or patents.

search-config

AI-assisted search

Off

Abstract

Guanxi, personal connections and interactions beyond formal relations, is crucial within Chinese society. Adopting the psychological contract theory which posits the supervisor as a psychological contract maker, this study examines the mediating process between supervisor–subordinate guanxi and organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs) in Taiwan. Results from a sample of 485 supervisor–subordinate dyads across various industries demonstrate that supervisor–subordinate guanxi has a unique effect on psychological contract fulfillment (PCF) in subordinates beyond leader–member exchange (LMX), facilitating felt obligation (rather than OCB role identity) for more OCBs. This study suggests that supervisors may successfully manage Chinese subordinate’s PCF by means of keeping good friendship with them while expecting them to act as good soldiers in organizations.

previous article The rationality of emotions: A hybrid process model of decision-making under uncertainty

next article Erratum to: Asian family enterprises and family business research

Dont have a licence yet? Then find out more about our products and how to get one now:

Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik"

Online-Abonnement

Mit Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik" erhalten Sie Zugriff auf:

über 102.000 Bücher
über 537 Zeitschriften

aus folgenden Fachgebieten:

Automobil + Motoren
Bauwesen + Immobilien
Business IT + Informatik
Elektrotechnik + Elektronik
Energie + Nachhaltigkeit
Finance + Banking
Management + Führung
Marketing + Vertrieb
Maschinenbau + Werkstoffe
Versicherung + Risiko

Jetzt Wissensvorsprung sichern!

inform now

Springer Professional "Wirtschaft"

Online-Abonnement

Mit Springer Professional "Wirtschaft" erhalten Sie Zugriff auf:

über 67.000 Bücher
über 340 Zeitschriften

aus folgenden Fachgebieten:

Bauwesen + Immobilien
Business IT + Informatik
Finance + Banking
Management + Führung
Marketing + Vertrieb
Versicherung + Risiko

Jetzt Wissensvorsprung sichern!

inform now

Alston, J. P. 1989. Wa, guanxi, and inhwa: Managerial principles in Japan, China, and Korea. Business Horizons, 32(2): 26–31.CrossRef

Anand, S., Vidyarthi, P. R., Liden, R. C., & Rousseau, D. M. 2010. Good citizens in poor-quality relationships: Idiosyncratic deals as a substitute for relationship quality. Academy of Management Journal, 53(5): 970–988.CrossRef

Armstrong, S. J., & Overton, T. S. 1977. Estimating nonresponse bias in mail surveys. Journal of Marketing Research, 14(3): 396–402.CrossRef

Baron, R. M., & Kenny, D. A. 1986. The moderator-mediator variable distinction in social psychological research: Conceptual, strategic, and statistical considerations. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 51(6): 1173–1182.CrossRef

Bauer, D. J., Preacher, K. J., & Gil, K. M. 2006. Conceptualizing and testing random indirect effects and moderated mediation in multilevel models: New procedures and recommendations. Psychological Methods, 11: 142–163.CrossRef

Bian, Y. J. 1997. Brining strong ties back in: Indirect ties, network bridges, and job searches in China. American Sociological Review, 62: 366–385.CrossRef

Bian, Y. J., & Ang, S. 1997. Guanxi networks and job mobility in China and Singapore. Social Forces, 75: 981–1006.

Blau, P. M. 1964. Exchange and power in social life. New York: Wiley.

Bliese, P., & Hanges, P. J. 2004. Being too liberal and too conservative: The perils of treating grouped data as though they were independent. Organizational Research Methods, 7(4): 400–417.CrossRef

Brislin, R. W. 1970. Back-translation for cross-cultural research. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 1: 85–216.CrossRef

Bunderson, J. S. 2001. How work ideologies shape the psychological contracts of professional employees: Doctors’ responses to perceived breach. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 22: 717–741.CrossRef

Chan, S., & Mak, W. 2012. Benevolent leadership and follower performance: The mediating role of leader–member exchange (LMX). Asia Pacific Journal of Management, 29(2): 285–301.CrossRef

Chen, C. C., Chen, Y. R., & Xin, K. 2004. Guanxi practices and trust in management: A procedural justice perspective. Organization Science, 15: 200–209.CrossRef

Chen, X.-P., & Chen, C. C. 2004. On the intricacies of the Chinese guanxi: A process model of guanxi development. Asia Pacific Journal of Management, 21(3): 305–324.CrossRef

Chen, Y., Friedman, R., Yu, E., & Sun, F. 2011. Examining the positive and negative effects of guanxi practices. Asia Pacific Journal of Management, 28(4): 715–735.CrossRef

Chen, Y., & Tjosvold, D. 2006. Participative leadership by Western managers in China: The role of relationships. Journal of Management Studies, 43(8): 1727–1752.CrossRef

Chen, Y., & Tjosvold, D. 2007. Guanxi and leader member relationships between American managers and Chinese employees: Open-minded dialogue as mediator. Asia Pacific Journal of Management, 24(2): 171–189.CrossRef

Cheng, B. S., Farh, J. L., & Chang, H. F. 2002. Guanxi, zhongcheng, competence and managerial behavior in the Chinese context. Chinese Journal of Psychology, 44(2): 151–166.

Coyle-Shapiro, J. 2002. A psychological contract perspective on organizational citizenship behavior. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 23: 927–946.CrossRef

Coyle-Shapiro, J., & Kessler, I. 2000. Consequences of the psychological contract for the employment relationship: A large scale survey. Journal of Management Studies, 37(7): 903–930.CrossRef

Dabos, G. E., & Rousseau, D. M. 2004. Mutuality and reciprocity in the psychological contracts of employees and employers. Journal of Applied Psychology, 89(1): 52–72.CrossRef

Davison, A. C., & Hinkley, D. V. 1997. Bootstrap methods and their application. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.CrossRef

Dulac, T., Coyle-Shapiro, J., Henderson, D. J., & Wayne, S. J. 2008. Not all responses to breach are the same: The interconnection of social exchange and psychological contract processes in organizations. Academy of Management Journal, 51(6): 1079–1098.CrossRef

Efron, B., & Tibshirani, R. 1993. An introduction to the bootstrap. New York: Chapman & Hall.CrossRef

Eisenberger, R., Armeli, S., Rexwinkel, B., Lynch, P. D., & Rhoades, L. 2001. Reciprocation of perceived organizational support. Journal of Applied Psychology, 86(1): 42–51.CrossRef

Farh, J. L., Earley, P. C., & Lin, S. C. 1997. Impetus for action: A cultural analysis of justice and organizational citizenship behavior in Chinese society. Administrative Science Quarterly, 42(3): 421–444.CrossRef

Farh, J.-L., Hackett, R. D., & Jian, L. 2007. Individual-level cultural values as moderators of perceived organizational support–employee outcome relationships in china: Comparing the effects of power distance and traditionality. Academy of Management Journal, 50(3): 715–729.CrossRef

Farh, J.-L., Tsui, A. S., Xin, K., & Cheng, B.-S. 1998. The influence of relational demography and guanxi: The Chinese case. Organization Science, 9(4): 471–488.CrossRef

Finkelstein, M. A., & Penner, L. A. 2004. Predicting organizational citizenship behavior: Integrating the functional and role identity approaches. Social Behavior and Personality, 32(4): 383–398.CrossRef

Gouldner, A. W. 1960. The norm of reciprocity: A preliminary statement. American Sociological Review, 25: 161–178.CrossRef

Graen, G. B., & Scandura, T. A. 1987. Toward a psychology of dyadic organizing. In L. L. Cummings & B. Staw (Eds.). Research in organizational behavior, vol.9: 175–208. Greenwich, CT: JAI Press.

Graen, G. B., & Uhl-Bien, M. 1995. Relationship-based approach to leadership: Development of leader–member exchange (LMX) theory of leadership over 25 years: Applying a multi-level multidomain perspective. Leadership Quarterly, 6: 219–247.CrossRef

Grube, J. A., & Piliavin, J. A. 2000. Role identity, organizational experiences, and volunteer performance. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 26: 1108–1119.CrossRef

Guo, C., & Miller, J. K. 2010. Guanxi dynamics and entrepreneurial firm creation and development in China. Management and Organization Review, 6(2): 267–291.CrossRef

Guthrie, D. 1998. The declining significance of guanxi in China’s economic transition. China Quarterly, 54: 254–282.CrossRef

Guzzo, R. A., Noonan, K. A., & Elron, E. 1994. Expatriate managers and the psychological contract. Journal of Applied Psychology, 79(4): 617–626.CrossRef

Hackley, C. A., & Dong, Q. 2001. American public relations networking encounters China’s guanxi. Public Relations Quarterly, 46(2): 16–20.

Hekman, D., Bigley, G., Steensma, H., & Hereford, J. 2009. Combined effects of organizational and professional identification on the reciprocity dynamic for professional employees. Academy of Management Journal, 52(3): 506–526.CrossRef

Henderson, D. J., Wayne, S. J., Shore, L. M., Bommer, W. H., & Tetrick, L. E. 2008. Leader–member exchange, differentiation, and psychological contract fulfillment: A multilevel examination. Journal of Applied Psychology, 93(6): 1208–1219.CrossRef

Hofmann, D. A. 1997. An overview of the logic and rationale of hierarchical linear models. Journal of Management, 23(6): 723–744.CrossRef

Hui, C., Lee, C., & Rousseau, D. M. 2004. Psychological contract and organizational citizenship behavior in China: Investigating generalizability and instrumentality. Journal of Applied Psychology, 89(2): 311–321.CrossRef

Ilies, R., Nahrgang, J. D., & Morgeson, F. P. 2007. Leader–member exchange and citizenship behaviors: A meta-analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology, 92(1): 269–277.CrossRef

Jacobs, J. B. 1982. The concept of guanxi and local politics in a rural Chinese cultural setting. In S. Greenblatt, R. Wilson & A. Wilson (Eds.). Social interaction in Chinese society. New York: Praeger.

Kenny, D. A., Kashy, D. A., & Bolger, N. 1998. Data analysis in social psychology. In D. Gilbert, S. Fiske & G. Lindzey (Eds.). Handbook of social psychology, vol. 1: 233–265. Boston: McGraw-Hill.

Kiong, T. C., & Kee, Y. P. 1998. Guanxi bases, xinyong and Chinese business networks. British Journal of Sociology, 49: 75–97.CrossRef

Law, K. S., Wong, C., Wang, D., & Wang, L. 2000. Effect of supervisor–subordinate guanxi on supervisory decisions in China: An empirical investigation. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 11: 751–765.CrossRef

LePine, J. A., Erez, A., & Johnson, D. E. 2002. The nature and dimensionality of organizational citizenship behavior: A critical review and meta-analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology, 87(1): 52–65.CrossRef

Liden, R. C., Wayne, S. J., & Stilwell, D. 1993. A longitudinal study on the early development of leader–member exchanges. Journal of Applied Psychology, 78: 662–674.CrossRef

Loi, R., Mao, Y., & Ngo, H. 2009. Linking leader–member exchange and employee work outcomes: The mediating role of organizational social and economic exchange. Management and Organization Review, 5(3): 401–422.CrossRef

MacKinnon, D. P., Lockwood, C. M., & Williams, J. 2004. Confidence limits for the indirect effect: Distribution of the product and resampling methods. Multivariate Behavioral Research, 39: 99–128.CrossRef

Organ, D. W. 1988. Organizational citizenship behavior: The good soldier syndrome. Lexington, MA: Lexington books.

Penner, L., Midili, A., & Kegelmeyer, J. 1997. Beyond job attitudes: A personality and social psychology perspective on the causes of organizational citizenship behavior. Human Performance, 10(2): 111–131.CrossRef

Pillutla, M. M., Farh, J. L., Lee, C., & Lin, Z. 2007. An investigation of traditionality as a moderator of reward allocation. Group & Organization Management, 32(2): 233–253.CrossRef

Podsakoff, P. M., MacKenzie, S. B., Lee, J. Y., & Podsakoff, N. 2003. Common method biases in behavioral research: A critical review of the literature and recommended remedies. Journal of Applied Psychology, 88(5): 879–903.CrossRef

Podsakoff, P. M., & Organ, D. W. 1986. Self-reports in organizational research: Problems and prospects. Journal of Management, 12(4): 531–544.CrossRef

Raja, U., Johns, G., & Ntalianis, F. 2004. The impact of personality on psychological contracts. Academy of Management Journal, 47: 350–367.CrossRef

Raudenbush, S. W., Byrk, A. S., & Congdon, R. 2004. HLM6: Hierarchical linear and nonlinear modeling. Lincolnwood, IL: Scientific Software International.

Restubog, S., Hornsey, M., Bordia, P., & Esposo, S. 2008. Effects of psychological contract breach on organizational citizenship behavior: Insights from the group value model. Journal of Management Studies, 45(8): 1376–1400.CrossRef

Robinson, S. L. 1996. Trust and breach of the psychological contract. Administrative Science Quarterly, 41: 574–599.CrossRef

Robinson, S. L., & Morrison, E. W. 1995. Psychological contracts and OCB: The effect of unfulfilled obligations on civic virtue behavior. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 16: 289–298.CrossRef

Robinson, S. L., & Rousseau, D. M. 1994. Violating the psychological contract: Not the exception but the norm. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 15(3): 245–259.CrossRef

Rousseau, D. M. 1995. Psychological contract in organizations. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Rousseau, D. M. 2000. Psychological contract inventory: Technical report no. 2. Pittsburgh, PA: Carnegie Mellon University.

Shih, C. T., & Chen, S. J. 2011. The social dilemma perspective on psychological contract fulfillment and organizational citizenship behavior. Management and Organization Review, 7(1): 125–151.CrossRef

Shih, C. T., & Lin, C. C. 2012. A model of leader–member exchange, psychological contract fulfillment and organizational citizenship behaviors: Resources allocation and social capital perspectives. Journal of Management, 29(1): 1–16 (in Chinese).

Shore, L. M., & Tetrick, L. 1994. The psychological contract as an explanatory framework in the employment relationship. In C. L. Cooper & D. M. Rousseau (Eds.). Trends in organizational behavior, vol. 1: 91–109. London: Wiley.

Shrout, P. E., & Bolger, N. 2002. Mediation in experimental and nonexperimental studies: New procedures and recommendations. Psychological Methods, 7(4): 422–445.CrossRef

Sobel, M. E. 1982. Asymptotic confidence intervals for indirect effects in structural equation models. Sociological Methodology, 13: 290–312.CrossRef

Stryker, S. 1980. Symbolic interactionism. Menlo Park, CA: Benjamin/Cummings.

Suazo, M. M., Turnley, W. H., & Mai-Dalton, R. R. 2008. Characteristics of the supervisor–subordinate relationship as predictors of psychological contract breach. Journal of Managerial Issues, 20(3): 295–312.

Trompenaars, F. 1994. Riding the waves of culture. New York: Irwin.

Tsui, A. S., Pearce, J. L., Porter, L. W., & Tripoli, A. M. 1997. Alternative approaches to the employee-organization relationship: Does investment in employees pay off?. Academy of Management Journal, 40(5): 1089–1121.CrossRef

Turnley, W. H., Bolino, M. C., Lester, S. W., & Bloodgood, J. M. 2003. The impact of psychological contract fulfillment on the performance of in-role and organizational citizenship behaviors. Journal of Management, 29(2): 187–206.CrossRef

Turnley, W. H., & Feldman, D. C. 2000. Re-examining the effects of psychological contract violations: Unmet expectations and job dissatisfaction as mediators. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 21: 25–42.CrossRef

Uhl-Bien, M., & Maslyn, J. M. 2003. Reciprocity in manager–subordinate relationships: Components, configurations, and outcomes. Journal of Management, 29: 511–532.CrossRef

Wang, H., Law, K. S., Hackett, R. D., Wang, D., & Chen, Z. S. 2005. Leader–member exchange as a mediator of the relationship between transformational leadership and followers’ performance and organizational citizenship behavior. Academy of Management Journal, 48(3): 420–432.CrossRef

Wayne, S. J., Shore, L. M., & Liden, R. C. 1997. Perceived organizational support and leader–member exchange: A social exchange perspective. Academy of Management Journal, 40(1): 82–111.CrossRef

Wei, L. Q., Liu, J. J., Chen, Y. Y., & Wu, L. Z. 2010. A study of subordinate–supervisor guanxi in Chinese joint ventures. Journal of Management Studies, 47(3): 437–454.CrossRef

Wong, C.-S., Tinsley, C., Law, K. S., & Mobley, W. H. 2003b. Development and validation of a multidimensional measure of guanxi. Journal of Psychology in Chinese Societies, 4(1): 43–69.

Wong, Y.-T., Ngo, H.-Y., & Wong, C.-S. 2003a. Antecedents and outcomes of and outcomes of employees’ trust in Chinese joint ventures. Asia Pacific Journal of Management, 20(4): 481–499.CrossRef

Xin, K. R., & Pearce, J. L. 1996. Guanxi: Connections as substitutes for formal institutional support. Academy of Management Journal, 39(6): 1641–1658.CrossRef

Yang, C. F. 2001. A critical review of the conceptualization of guanxi and renqing. In C. F. Yang (Ed.). The interpersonal relationship, affection, and trust of the Chinese: Froman interactional perspective: 3–26. Taipei: Yuan Liou Pulishing Co. (in Chinese).

Yang, M. M. 1994. Gifts, favors, and banquets: The art of social relationships in China. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.

Zhao, H., Wayne, S. J., & Glibkowski, B. C. 2007. The impact of psychological contract breach on work-related outcomes: A meta-analysis. Personnel Psychology, 60(3): 647–680.CrossRef

Title: From good friends to good soldiers: A psychological contract perspective
Authors: Chih-Ting Shih
Cheng-Chen Timothy Lin
Publication date: 01-03-2014
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: Asia Pacific Journal of Management / Issue 1/2014
Print ISSN: 0217-4561
Electronic ISSN: 1572-9958
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10490-012-9333-5

Springer Professional

Abstract

Please log in to get access to your license.

Dont have a licence yet? Then find out more about our products and how to get one now:

Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik"

Springer Professional "Wirtschaft"

Other articles of this Issue 1/2014

The role of relational orientation as measured by face and renqing in innovative behavior in China: An indigenous analysis

The antecedents and outcome of control in IJVs: A control gap framework

Frequency and directional reversal of equity ownership change in international joint ventures

Erratum to: Asian family enterprises and family business research

Ownership structure and innovation: An emerging market perspective

The rationality of emotions: A hybrid process model of decision-making under uncertainty

Premium Partner