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1、苏州大学本科生毕业设计（论文）LEADERSHIP BEHAVIOR AND EMPLOYEE VOICE: IS THE DOOR REALLY OPEN? In todays hypercompetitive business environment, employee comments and suggestions intended to improve organizational functioning are critical to performance because,as Senge wrote,it is “just not possible any longer to
2、figure it out from the top”(1990:4; see also Morrison & Milliken, 2000). Edmondson(1999, 2003), for example, found that the willingness of all members to provide thoughts and ideas about critical work processes characterizes successful learning in various types of teams. Yet, despite this “learning
3、imperative,” many individuals do not work in environments where they perceive it as safe to speak up(Milliken, Morrison, & Hewlin, 2003; Ryan & Oestrich, 1998). This presents an unsettling state of affairs: Voice, which we define as the discretionary provision of information intended to improve orga
4、nizational functioning to someone inside an organization with the perceived authority to act,even though such information may challenge and upset the status quo of the organization and its power holders, is critical to organizational well-being yet insufficiently provided by employees, who see the r
5、isks of speaking up as outweighing the benefits. Thus,it is important to better understand who speaks up with potentially valuable information and the organizational conditions that favor or inhibit such behavior. In this study, we seek to contribute to such understanding.Three broad lines of resear
6、ch have addressed this line of inquiry to varying degrees. The most systematic research to date has focused on individual differences in personality and demographic characteristics as correlates of voice (Crant, 2003; LePine & Van Dyne,2001). The stated or implicit reasoning in this line of work is
7、that some individuals are simply more likely than others to “go the extra mile”in regard to speaking up. A second line of research, based on Hirschmans (1970) seminal work defining exit, voice, and loyalty as the primary options facing employees who are dissatisfied with some aspect of organizationa
8、l functioning, treats employee attitudes as the primary determinant of upward voice(Rusbult, Farrell, Rogers, & Mainous,1988; Withey & Cooper,1989). Finally,a third research stream focuses on aspects of an organizational context that may affect employees willingness to speak up. An implicit assumpti
9、on in this view is that even the most proactive or satisfied employees are likely to “read the wind” as to whether it is safe and/or worthwhile to speak up in their particular context (Dutton, Ashford, ONeill, Hayes, & Wierba, 1997; Edmondson, 2003; Milliken et al.,2003). Seeking to further develop
10、the contextual stream, we focus on the role that specific leadership behaviors play in influencing employees decisions to voluntarily provide comments or suggestions intended to spark organizational improvement. Qualitative research has identified a number of leader behaviors or attributes including
11、 “approachability” (Milliken et al., 2003; Saunders, Sheppard, Knight, & Roth,1992), “action taking” (Edmondson, 2003; Ryan & Oestreich, 1998), and “accessibility” (Edmondson, 1999) that lead subordinates to conclude it is either safe or unsafe to speak up. However,the few quantitative studies that
12、have assessed some aspect of leadership influence on voice have produced less conclusive results (e.g., Ashford et al.,1998). For example, Saunders and colleagues(1992) developed a measure,“supervisor as voice manager,” and found it to be positively related to the likelihood of voice in two samples,
13、 but Janssen, de Vries, and Cozijnsen (1998),controlling for several individual differences, found that the supervisor as voice manager construct was not significantly related to subordinates reported likelihood to voice novel ideas. In sum, the literature presents a troubling discrepancy: Studies w
14、ith the highest face validity suggest that leadership behaviors are an important contextual antecedent of voice,but survey research has failed to replicate such findings.The specific purpose of this study was therefore to address in consistent findings about leadership behavior as an influence on su
15、bordinates improvement-oriented voice. In a two-phase field study, we addressed the questions,“Is leadership behavior related to subordinate voice?” and, “If so, why and for what types of employees?” Our study extends the literature in a number of ways. First, few of the labels used to describe lead
16、ership findings in previous work correspond directly with constructs developed in the broader leadership literature. We drew upon well-established theory on leadership and power to develop predictions for how specific leader behaviors influence employee voice. Second, we controlled for many of the p
17、ersonality and employee attitudinal explanations found important in prior voice research but usually lacking in the leadership-focused studies. Third, we heeded calls for more precision in voice research (Van Dyne, Ang, & Botero,2003) by limiting our voice construct to verbal behavior that is improv
18、ement-oriented and directed to a specific target who holds power inside the organization in question. Beyond advancing understanding of leadership behavior as a predictor of voice, this study also examines psychological safety as an important mediating cognition linking leadership and voice and addr
19、esses how subordinate performance level might moderate the impact of leadership behavior on voice. Collectively, this research extends understanding of the leadership-voice relationship and points to specific ways leaders can foster employee input.LITERATURE REVIEW AND HYPOTHESES The notion of voice
20、 stems from the idea that employees recognize some source of dissatisfaction or opportunity for improving their own and/or their organizations well-being (Hirschman, 1970). Speaking up in such situations can feel risky because they involve pointing out need for improvement in a program or policy to
21、those who may have devised, be responsible for, or feel personally attached to the status quo. Given this, along with the reality that voice cannot be coerced or readily designed into the in-role requirements of a job (Van Dyne & LePine, 1998), an initial motivation to peak up is likely to manifest
22、in behavior only when the net perceived benefits outweigh potential costs. Perceived potential benefits of speaking up include getting the problem solved as well as formal (e.g., money or promotion) or informal (e.g., recognition or status) rewards that might be associated with having ones ideas be
23、well received and possibly implemented. Conversely, potential costs include “existence losses” (e.g., demotion or termination) and “relatedness losses” (e.g., humiliation or loss of social standing) (Maslow, 1943). In short, the decision to speak up results from an affectladen expectancy-like calcul
24、us (Ashford, Rothbard, Piderit, & Dutton, 1998; Milliken et al., 2003; Withey & Cooper, 1989). Theoretically, leadership behavior affects this voice calculus for two primary reasons, both related to the resource dependency of subordinates in hierarchical settings (Emerson, 1962; Pfeffer & Salancik,
25、1978). First, to speak up, by definition, involves sharing ones ideas with someone with the perceived power to devote organizational attention or resources to the issue raised (French & Raven, 1959). Thus, leaders are inherently important to the voice process because they are its targets. Second, le
26、aders have the authority to administer rewards and punishments, and this power over subordinates pay, promotions, and job assignments makes leaders actions highly salient as cues for behavior (Depret & Fiske, 1993). Thus, when leaders send signals that they are interested in and willing to act on su
27、bordinate voice, subordinates motivation to speak up should be maintained or enhanced; absent such leader behaviors, subordinates may see potential risks as outweighing perceived benefits.Change-Oriented Leadership Because voice involves suggestions to do something differently, leader behaviors sign
28、aling an openness to or appreciation for change should be a critical contextual influence on employee willingness to speak up. Descriptions from qualitative research suggest the importance of such behaviors. For example, Edmondson (2003) reported that leaders who explicitly communicated a rationale
29、for change, explained the need for others input, and took action on others ideas had subordinates who were more willing to contribute to team learning despite the inherent risks of speaking up. Here, we hypothesize that two specific sets of perceived leader behaviorsmanagement openness and transform
30、ational leadershipare particularly indicative of an orientation toward continuous improvement and should therefore be positively related to subordinates belief that it is safe to speak up and willingness to do so. Research on issue selling (voice regarding a specific work improvement or employee tre
31、atment topic) has identified management openness as a set of leader behaviors particularly relevant to subordinates motivation to speak up (Ashford et al., 1998). Managerial openness refers to subordinates perceptions that their boss listens to them, is interested in their ideas, gives fair consider
32、ation to the ideas presented, and at least sometimes takes action to address the matter raised. Such behaviors are significant in maintaining initial motivation to speak up (Milliken et al., 2003). More importantly, behaviors indicating openness to employee input may decrease the salience of the pow
33、er differential between leaders and subordinates in such a way that employees perceive few costs from raising potentially risky ideas (Edmondson, 2003). Like House and Rizzos (1972) top management receptiveness concept, openness as related to issue selling has been conceived of primarily as a senior
34、 manager behavior. However, managers display these behaviors to a greater or lesser extent at all hierarchical levels. Thus, these behaviors likely influence upward communications by lower-level employees as well. Indeed, qualitative research describes managerial openness as a strong influence on em
35、ployees at many organizational levels (e.g., Ryan & Oestrich, 1998; Sprague & Ruud, 1988). Therefore, we predict: Hypothesis 1. Leaders perceived display of openness is positively related to subordinates improvement-oriented voice. Transformational leaders are positively oriented toward, and more li
36、kely to initiate, change (Bass, 1985; Waldman, Javidan, & Varella, 2004). They accomplish change by encouraging employees to move beyond compliance with formal agreements and to become innovative problem solvers (Bass & Riggio, 2006). A number of specific transformational behaviors, including indivi
37、dualized consideration and inspirational motivation (Bass, 1985),should be related to the voice calculus. For example, individualized consideration reflects the notion that each employee has specific strengths, interests, and needs for improvement that must be attended to one-on-one rather than via
38、formal policies or pronouncements (Bass & Avolio, 1990). Leaders demonstrating individualized consideration toward subordinates encourage two-way communication and listen effectively (Bass & Riggio, 2006). In addition, leaders use inspirational motivation to create commitment among subordinates to t
39、heir organizations vision (Bass, 1985). Leaders generate such commitment via frequent public communications about the envisioned future direction and goals of the organization and consistent displays of passion about collective pursuit of the organizations purpose (Conger, 1989). Such transformation
40、al leader behaviors lead to increased subordinate competence and commitment as well as to empowerment and felt responsibility to contribute to an organizations future (Senge, 1990; Wayne, Shore, & Liden, 1997). For example, coaching is likely to reduce the intimidation associated with raising uncomf
41、ortable topics, such as those challenging the status quo. Further, supportive coaching and vision sharing should increase initial motivation to speak up because they lead subordinates to accept more collective responsibility for performance outcomes (Bennis & Nanus, 1985). These transformational lea
42、der behaviors should inspire subordinates to believe that their bosses are oriented toward the future rather than preservation of the status quo. Consequently, subordinates should be more willing to speak up with comments aimed at organizational improvement. We therefore predict: Hypothesis 2. Leade
43、rs perceived transformational behaviors are positively related to subordinates improvement-oriented voice.Psychological Safety and VoiceIn keeping with the argument that employees estimate perceived costs prior to speaking up, psychological safety (the belief that engaging in risky behaviors like vo
44、ice will not lead to personal harm) has been described as a key affect-laden cognition influencing voice (Ashford et al., 1998; Edmondson, 1999). Put simply, employees who fear significant personal losses from speaking up (e.g., restricted career mobility, loss of support from superiors and peers) a
45、re likely to choose “defensive” silence (Van Dyne et al., 2003). Because voice often contains either implicit or explicit criticisms of the status quo and because the targets of upward voice hold reward and sanction power, leader behaviors are likely to be particularly salient cues that subordinates
46、 use in evaluating whether voicing unsolicited comments is personally dangerous (Milliken et al., 2003). After all, most employees lack the courage or commitment to challenge managers who have signaled unwillingness to accept input from below (Hornstein, 1986). Thus, when managers routinely demonstr
47、ate a personal interest, listen carefully, and take action, they demonstrate to subordinates that there is little personal risk in honest communication (Bass & Riggio, 2006; Edmondson, 2003). Such experiences should enhance perceived psychological safety. We therefore hypothesize that psychological
48、safety is a belief that mediates the relationship between the external stimuli provided by leader behaviors and the decision by subordinates to speak up or remain silent. This argument is consistent with the findings of Podsakoff and colleagues (Podsakoff, MacKenzie, Moorman, & Fetter, 1990) that tr
49、ust in a leader (with trust defined similarly to psychological safety, as the belief that one will not be harmed by another) mediated the relationship between that leaders transformational behaviors and subordinates provision of other (nonrisky) organizational citizenship behaviors. Specifically, we predict: Hypothesis 3. Perceived psychological safety mediates the relationships between change-oriented leader behaviors and subordinates improvement-oriente