The relationship between supervisory support and work-family conflict: The guanxi, LMX, and emotional intelligence perspectives

Abstract

Previous studies of manufacturing management have ignored a critical theme: the relationship between supervisory support and work-family conflict. In this study, we explore the link between interpersonal relationships, guanxi, leader-member exchange theory, emotional intelligence, supervisory support, and work-family conflict. We gathered 244 valid questionnaires from workers in traditional industries in Taiwan and China. In the rapidly changing society of Taiwan, we found that supervisory support for work-family conflict had faded in traditional industries. Second, we found that leaders with a higher level of leader-member exchange and expressive ties to their subordinates tend to offer a higher level of supervisory support, but that leaders with higher level of instrumental ties to their subordinates tend to offer lower levels of support. Finally, the survey results also showed that a leaderpsilas level of emotional intelligence is not related to supervisory support. We discuss our findings in terms of their implications for management practices and future research.