Value Congruence: A Study of Green Transformational Leadership and Employee Green Behavior

Xingdong Wang,Kong Zhou,Wenxing Liu

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01946

Abstract

This study examined the extent to which the impact of green transformational leadership on employee green behavior through follower perceptions of value congruence. Path analyzing on data from 193 subordinate-leader dyads showed that followers’ value congruence with their leader mediated the effects of green transformational leadership on employee green behavior. Results also supported that green identity moderated the indirect effect of green transformational leadership on employee green behavior through value congruence, such that the indirect effect was more positive when green identity was high than when it was low. These findings provided valuable contribution to green transformational leadership, value congruence, and employee green behavior by exploring the relationship between them. Practical implications and directions for future research are also discussed.

Highlights

Enterprises and individuals are realizing the severity of the environmental problem and calling for establishing a sustainable way of operating
Our study has demonstrated that green transformational leadership did enhance subordinates’ green behaviors through value congruence, which extends the explanation mechanism of green leadership style on employee’s green behaviors
This study has indicated that the consistent relation of values between green transformational leader and subordinates didn’t remain constant, especially when there is a striking difference in employee green identities, that is green identity could improve the effect of green transformational leadership on subordinate values

Summary

Introduction

Enterprises and individuals are realizing the severity of the environmental problem and calling for establishing a sustainable way of operating. A type of pro-environmental action at the workplace (Ones and Dilchert, 2012; Norton et al, 2015), is very important for the organization to realize its goal of environmental sustainability. To promote employee green behavior, it is essential to understand what factors affect such pro-environmental actions and how these effects can be influenced. Many studies have identified the important effect of green transformational leadership, a leader exhibiting transformation leadership aims to encourage subordinates to engage in pro-environmental behaviors (Robertson and Barling, 2013), on employee green behavior (Chen and Chang, 2013; Robertson and Barling, 2013; Kura, 2016; Mittal and Dhar, 2016).

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Conclusion