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When leadership elicits voice: Evidence for a mediated moderation model

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 October 2017

Chang-Wook Jeung  and
Hea Jun Yoon
Chang-Wook Jeung*
Affiliation:
Yonsei University School of Business, Seoul, Republic of Korea
Hea Jun Yoon
Affiliation:
Korea Research Institute for Vocational Education and Training, Sejong, Republic of Korea
*
Corresponding author: jcw1905@gmail.com; jcw1905@yonsei.ac.kr
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Abstract

The aim of this study is to examine the influence of humble and empowering leader behaviors on the prosocial voice of subordinates. We also investigate subordinate power distance orientation as a possible moderator of this relationship and subordinate psychological empowerment as the underlying mechanism behind this moderated effect. Findings from 306 employees of a Korean business conglomerate indicated that humble and empowering leadership were positively related to the prosocial voice of subordinates, and the moderation effects of subordinates’ power distance orientation between these two types of leader behaviors and subordinates’ prosocial voice were fully mediated by the extent to which they felt psychologically empowered. Our findings indicated that the moderation for the main effect between leadership and voice was caused by the significant moderating effect in the indirect path between two main variables via psychological empowerment. We conclude by highlighting implications for management practice and identifying avenues for future research.

Keywords

humble leadershipempowering leadershippsychological empowermentpower distance orientationvoice behavior
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Management & Organization , Volume 24 , Issue 1 , January 2018 , pp. 40 - 61
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press and Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management 2017 

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Footnotes

This manuscript is an original work that has not been submitted to nor published anywhere else. Both authors have read and approved the manuscript and have met the criteria for authorship of the Journal of Management and Organization.

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