The Effect of Cultural Value Orientation on the Relationship Between Psychological Safety and Voice

Abstract

Although the important roles of psychological safety on voice behavior have been empirically supported, not much attention has been drawn on the critical question —a boundary condition for when psychological safety is particularly less helpful. Drawing on implicit voice theory (Detert & Edmondson, 2011), which explains about the voice-reluctant phenomenon in organizations as the “taken-for-granted rules of self-censorship”, this study suggests psychological safety is less important antecedent of voice behavior of employees culturally hardwired to be reticent. Using survey data from 342 full-time employees working at diverse organizations in South Korea, this study tests how cultural value orientation moderates the relationships between psychological safety and voice. Finally, the results suggest that the perception of psychological safety would not be sufficient to lead voice even more with employees high in power distance orientation, as the power distance orientation increases self-censorship. Study concludes with a discussion of the areas in need of future examination.