Do interpersonal relationships still matter for turnover intention? A comparison of South Korea and China

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of supervisor and co-worker relationships on the turnover intentions of workers in Korea and China. A U-shaped relationship between supervisor relationships (i.e. leader–member exchange) and turnover intention reported in the studies using western samples has not been replicated in the Asian samples of this study. Instead, each of supervisor and co-worker relationship had a negative and linear association with turnover intentions in China. On the other hand, co-worker relationships had a negative linear relationship with turnover intentions while supervisor relationship did not relate to worker's turnover intention in Korea. The comparison between Korea and China showed that the supervisor and co-worker relationships had stronger influence on turnover intentions in China than in Korea. Discussions and implications concerning the Korean HRM in the global context are offered.