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How and when perceived leader narcissism impacts employee voice behavior: a social exchange perspective

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 July 2021

Li Zhang ,
Ming Lou Open the ORCID record for Ming Lou [Opens in a new window]  and
Huihui Guan
Li Zhang*
Affiliation:
Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
Ming Lou
Affiliation:
Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
Huihui Guan
Affiliation:
Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
*
Author for correspondence: Li Zhang, E-mail: zhanglihit@hit.edu.cn
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Abstract

Drawing from social exchange theory, this study proposes the effects of perceived leader narcissism on employees' voice behaviors (promotive voice and prohibitive voice) via organizational justice depending on the conditions of employees' trust in leader. Through investigating 257 employees and conducting a scenario study in China, this research shows that perceived leader narcissism is negatively related to prohibitive voice. The relationships between perceived leader narcissism and voice behaviors are moderated by trust in leader, and perceived leader narcissism is positively related to employees' voice behaviors when trust in leader is low. Results also show that organizational justice mediates the relationships between perceived leader narcissism and voice behaviors. The indirect effect of perceived leader narcissism on voice behaviors via organizational justice is moderated by trust in leader. This study has important implications for explaining the relationships between perceived leader narcissism and employees' voice behaviors and contributes to the social exchange theory by illustrating trust in the partner in exchange relationship as a boundary condition of norm reciprocity violation.

Keywords

Organizational justiceperceived leader narcissismsocial exchange theorytrust in leadervoice
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Management & Organization , Volume 28 , Issue 1 , January 2022 , pp. 77 - 98
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press and Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management 2021

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