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Frontiers of Business Research in China

ISSN 1673-7326

ISSN 1673-7431(Online)

CN 11-5746/F

Postal Subscription Code 80-977

Front. Bus. Res. China    2018, Vol. 12 Issue (1) : 61-81    https://doi.org/10.1186/s11782-018-0026-x
Orginal Article
How Authentic Leadership Influences Employee Proactivity: The Sequential Mediating Effects of Psychological Empowerment and Core Self-Evaluations and the Moderating Role of Employee Political Skill
Jing Zhang1, Lynda J. Song2(), Yue Wang3, Guangjian Liu4
1. Department of Organization and Human Resources, School of Business, Renmin University of China, Beijing 100872, China
2. Department of Organization and Human Resources, School of Business, Renmin University of China, Room 909, Mingde Business Building, No. 59 Zhongguancun Street, Haidian District, Beijing 100872, People’s Republic of China
3. Department of Organization and Human Resources, School of Business, Renmin University of China, Beijing 100872, China
4. Department of Organization and Human Resources, School of Business, Renmin University of China, Beijing 100872, China
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Abstract

This study aims to examine the relationship between authentic leadership and employee proactive behavior. Based on self-determination theory, we argue that such a relationship is sequentially mediated by psychological empowerment and core self-evaluations. In addition, political skill plays a moderating role in the third stage. These hypotheses are validated by a sample of 65 leaders and 275 subordinates from two private enterprises in mainland China. Results show that authentic leadership (Time 1) influences employees’ proactive behavior (Time 3) through the psychological empowerment (Time 1) and core self-evaluations of employees (Time 2), and the relationship between core self-evaluations and proactive behavior is positively moderated by employees’ political skill. In addition, bootstrapping results also verify the moderating role played by employees’ political skill in the indirect relationship between authentic leadership and proactive behavior through core self-evaluations. Theoretical and managerial implications are further discussed in the light of these findings.

Keywords Authentic leadership      Psychological empowerment      Core self-evaluations      Proactive behavior      Political skill     
Issue Date: 08 May 2018
 Cite this article:   
Jing Zhang,Lynda J. Song,Yue Wang, et al. How Authentic Leadership Influences Employee Proactivity: The Sequential Mediating Effects of Psychological Empowerment and Core Self-Evaluations and the Moderating Role of Employee Political Skill[J]. Front. Bus. Res. China, 2018, 12(1): 61-81.
 URL:  
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fbr/EN/10.1186/s11782-018-0026-x
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fbr/EN/Y2018/V12/I1/61
[1] Yue Wang, Wenhao Luo, Jing Zhang, Yirong Guo. More humility, less counterproductive work behaviors? The role of interpersonal justice and trust[J]. Front. Bus. Res. China, 2019, 13(4): 431-448.
[2] Zhen Wang, Shiyong Xu, Yanling Sun, Yanjun Liu. Transformational leadership and employee voice: an affective perspective[J]. Front. Bus. Res. China, 2019, 13(1): 19-32.
[3] Yujie Cai, Jian Han, Siqing Peng, Luping Sun. Volunteer High Performance Work Systems and Service Performance: An Empirical Study of Beijing Olympic Volunteers[J]. Front. Bus. Res. China, 2016, 10(4): 605-635.
[4] Jun Yang,Chao Liu,Qianghong Zhang,Wenwen Zhao,Chenxi Wang. Political Skill, Gender, and Social Network Positioning of Chinese Employees[J]. Front. Bus. Res. China, 2015, 9(3): 400-419.
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