Do grateful employees take charge more in China? A joint moderating effect model

Abstract

ABSTRACT Taking charge plays a vital role in the survival and development of an organization, but the inherent voluntary and risky characteristics of this action may prevent employees from engaging in this proactive work behaviour. To identify employees who are willing to take charge and to understand why they do so, this research focuses on the influence of trait gratitude on taking charge while incorporating a joint moderator that combines supervisor-subordinate guanxi and role breadth self-efficacy. Data concerning 255 employees working in Jiangsu Province in China were analysed, and the results show that gratitude is positively related to taking charge and that this relationship is jointly moderated by supervisor-subordinate guanxi and role breadth self-efficacy. In other words, the relationship between gratitude and taking charge is stronger among employees who exhibit strong guanxi with supervisors and exhibit high role breadth self-efficacy. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.