Social Exchange Perspective Research Articles

Effects of confidence and social benefits on consumers’ extra-role and in-role behaviors: A social identity and social exchange perspective

This study explores the effects of relational benefits on consumers' extra-role (civic virtue) and in-role (consumer loyalty) behaviors from social identity and social exchange perspectives, in addition to the mediating role of consumer–company identification (CCI) and perceived value. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data obtained from a cross-sectional survey of 254 consumers. The findings reveal that relational benefits promote consumers’ extra-role and in-role behaviors. Specifically, confidence and social benefits, directly and indirectly, affect civic virtue and consumer loyalty. Supporting our integrative framework, the results demonstrate that CCI mediates the effect of confidence and social benefits on civic virtue and consumer loyalty, whereas perceived value only mediates the relationship between confidence and social benefits and consumer loyalty. This study presents important implications for academicians and practitioners.

The effects of organizational justice, trust and supervisor–subordinate guanxi on organizational citizenship behavior: a social-exchange perspective

PurposeThis study aims to use a social exchange perspective to investigate the influence of organizational justice on organizational citizenship behavior (OCB).Design/methodology/approachSurvey and interview data were collected from a sample of insurance firm sales representatives in Taiwan. Structural equation modeling was deployed to explore the relationship between organizational justice, trust, supervisor–subordinate guanxi and OCB.FindingsThe findings offer important theoretical, managerial and social implications for life insurers’ human resource managers.Practical implicationsOrganizational justice is a primary influence on OCB, which is connected with the underlying mediating mechanism of trust (trust in supervisor and trust in subordinate) and supervisor–subordinate guanxi (i.e. off-the-job activities).Social implicationsSubordinates can enhance guanxi with their supervisors to create a more harmonious working environment, creating mutual trust. The results suggest that supervisor–subordinate guanxi is based on long-term social exchange. How to balance fairness and efficiency is an import question for decision-makers.Originality/valueThis study’s examination of the role of trust and supervisor–subordinate guanxi in mediating the relationship between organizational justice and OCB expands the organizational behavior literature into a different industry (life insurance) and cultural context (Taiwan).

Distributed Leadership and New Generation Employees' Proactive Behavior: Roles of Idiosyncratic Deals and Meaningfulness of Work.

New generation employees have become the main force of the organization, and their proactive behavior directly affects the organization’s future development. How to effectively stimulate the proactive behavior of new generation employees has become a hot topic in the field of organizational management. Based on the integrated perspective of social exchange and self-enhancement, we constructed a multistep mediation model to explore the influence mechanism of distributed leadership on the proactive behavior of new generation employees. We designed a three-stage research method of supervisor-employee pairing to collect data from 26 supervisors and 304 new generation employees in a new energy vehicle company in East China. Results indicated that (a) distributed leadership is positively related to proactive behavior of new generation employees; (b) idiosyncratic deals and meaningfulness of work mediated the linkage between distributed leadership and new generation employees’ proactive behavior; (c) idiosyncratic deals and meaningfulness of work play a multistep mediation role between distributed leadership and new generation employees’ proactive behavior. These findings have theoretical implications for the proactive behavior literature and managerial implications for practitioners.

How does supplier CSR performance help to expand exchange relationships with major buyers? The moderating role of supply‐side and demand‐driven uncertainty

AbstractMost studies of corporate social responsibility (CSR) performance in a supply chain context have been conducted from the buyer's perspective. Few have paid attention to how suppliers leverage this kind of performance to expand exchange relationships with major customers. From a resource dependence and social exchange perspective, this article specifically examines whether two supplier CSR performance dimensions—environmental and product performance—can serve as a mechanism to expand a supplier's relationships with a smaller number of major buyers, where its increasing exchange dependence often measures this factor. Moreover, these dependent relationships may further develop and change under different conditions of uncertainty. Using large‐scale longitudinal data to test the proposed model, we find empirical evidence that a supplier's environmental and product performance relate positively to greater customer dependence and improved financial performance across diverse sets of industries. However, the findings also reveal that both demand‐driven and supply‐side uncertainty can weaken the effect. Specifically, the positive effect of environmental performance tends to weaken in the face of supply‐side uncertainty, whereas the positive effect of product performance tends to weaken amid demand‐driven uncertainty. Accordingly, we note important nuances and contingencies for suppliers to consider when considering how investments in these CSR performance dimensions affect exchange dependence.

Moving Beyond Initiative: The Reconceptualization and Measurement of Unethical Pro-organizational Behavior.

Despite the fact that unethical pro-organizational behavior (UPB) has become a theoretical topic in the academic field and the fruitful achievements have been explored in the past decade, organizational researches have largely assumed that UPB is an active and voluntary behavior from the perspective of organizational identity and social exchange. In this paper, the authors argue that previous researches have traditionally considered only a very narrow subset of UPB, focusing almost exclusively on extreme voluntary cases which are not reflective of typical UPB. Instead of being primarily voluntary, some typical UPB can be compulsory in nature. We suggest a different look at UPB by contrasting to the so-called “voluntary” activities via compulsory mechanisms in the workplace. Mostly, we are interested in exploring and validating a measurement tool for this behavior. Based on self-determination theory, we argue that such behaviors are a substantial deviation from the original meaning of UPB and thus should be recognized and studied separately. Using six samples, the authors demonstrate the construct validity, reliability, and acceptable psychometric properties of the compulsory UPB scales. Future directions in UPB research are discussed.

One Good Turn Deserves Another: Antecedents of Online Karaoke Paid Gift-Sending from Social Exchange Perspectives

Understanding the dynamics of online karaoke virtual gift sending helps maximize its utility for all participants, including viewers, broadcasters, and platforms. However, extant paid gift-sending studies lack an integrated theoretical explanation of its incentives as well as practical implications that can facilitate the quantifiable implementation of service improvement. This study has successfully uncovered the motivation of paid gift-sending in an online karaoke context from a social exchange perspective using social exchange theory. By observing the activities of 11,640 online karaoke users over one year, it was discovered that their gift-sending behaviors adhere to the patterns of more-follower-more-gift-sending and receive-more-send-more. Moreover, such patterns are more pronounced for collaborative users and are accentuated over time. Theoretically, this study extends the scope of social commerce studies from B2C to C2C scenarios with more complicated interpersonal dynamics. Meanwhile, managers are advised to encourage following, stimulate collaboration, inject additional virtual gifts into the “market”, and retain their customers to generate long-term profits.

How and when does service performance improve positive emotions? an employee–customer social exchange perspective

ABSTRACT Service performance is a key consideration in both the service industry and other industries. However, the consequences of employee service performance for the actors themselves remain largely unexplored. To shed light on this issue, we draw on social exchange theory to address how and when employee service performance increases employee positive emotions. We propose that employee service performance is positively related to positive customer treatment, which is consequently positively related to employee positive emotions. Furthermore, we argue that higher job autonomy enhances the effect of employee service performance on positive customer treatment via facilitating customer internal attribution. To test our theoretical model, we collected daily survey data from 104 employees of a commercial bank located in northern China (Study 1) and dyadic survey data from 306 employee–customer dyads in a high-tech service company in southern China (Study 2). These two studies together supported our hypotheses. Theoretical contributions and practical implications are discussed.

Job Value and Organizational Socialization of the Youth of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area: The Mediation of Career Exploration?

This paper took the social exchange and social cognitive perspectives to examine the effects between job values and organizational socialization and how to play a mediation in career exploration and moderating effect in demographic characteristics. The research collected 700 valid samples of the youth of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area for statistical analysis and then subjected them to job value scale, career exploration, and organizational socialization scale. With structural equation model and correlation analysis, it verified that the proposed scale had demonstrated acceptable reliability and validity, a theoretical model of a good overall fit. In the final part, this paper used hierarchical regression analysis and path analysis. The results indicated that career exploration plays a mediation role between job value and organizational socialization, demographic characteristics are moderating effect between job value and career exploration, and demographic characteristics make a moderating effect between career exploration and organizational socialization, but demographic characteristics are not moderated on work value and organizational socialization.

How and when organizational justice impact extra-role customer service: A social exchange perspective of thriving at work

How and when organizational justice impact extra-role customer service: A social exchange perspective of thriving at work

Using social distancing technology in hotels: a social exchange perspective

PurposeAs social distancing procedures can be facilitated by various hotel technologies, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the extent to which consumers develop perceptions of value regarding the use of certain hotel technologies for social distancing in hotels.Design/methodology/approachDrawing from the social exchange theory, this study conceptualized the benefits of using technologies for social distancing, health risks, social rewards and privacy concerns as antecedents of value of using technologies for social distancing in hotels. The structural model was validated by using data from more than 1,000 nationwide US consumers.FindingsBenefits and consumers’ privacy concerns of using technologies for social distancing in hotels were the strongest predictors of value. Social rewards also had a significant but relatively lower effect on value. Health risks was found to have no influence on value.Originality/valueThe study is the first to examine the role of technologies in mitigating the effects of coronavirus. Thus, it extends the information technology and hospitality literature by examining the role of these technologies in safeguarding individual and public health.

Influence of Distributive Justice on Organizational Citizenship Behaviors: The Mediating Role of Gra

Distributive justice is known to have important emotional and affective outcomes. The present study explores the role of distributive justice as an antecedent to feelings of gratitude towards the organization. Borrowing from social exchange theory we investigate the mediating role of gratitude between the relationship between perceived fairness in distributive justice and employees' organization citizenship behaviors. Multi-source data was collected form 185 employees and their supervisors employed in a large manufacturing organization based in East India. Data collection spanned two-time intervals. Data was analysed using structured equation modelling. The results indicate that feelings of gratitude not only signal fair distribution of benefits such that the employees go beyond the call of the duty to invest in OCB such by engaging in such acts, but they also presumably repay their social debts highlighted in the social exchange perspective. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.

Customer Injustice and Service Employees' Responses: A Social Exchange Perspective

Recent research has uncovered the debilitating effect that customers’ unfair treatment of service workers has for both employees and their employers. These studies have largely explained the effects of customer mistreatment through a conservation of resources (COR) theory lens, arguing that customer injustice depletes the regulatory resources of service employees, thereby impairing their well-being and ability to perform their job effectively. In our paper, we posit that the psychological process is more complex than this explication. That is, we argue that aspects of the employee-customer social exchange relationship must also be considered, and that such relational processes are critical above and beyond COR effects. After formulating our theoretical model, we offer time-lagged data from two studies of service workers supporting our hypotheses that customer injustice predicts employee turnover intentions (Study 1, N = 182) and citizenship behavior directed toward customers (Study 2, N = 337), and that these effects are mediated by perceived customer support and customer commitment, respectively, while controlling for COR effects. Incorporating insights from the customer service literature, we further demonstrate the role of display rule perceptions as a moderator of these sequential indirect effects.

Supervisor Favorable Feedback and Employee Voice: A Moderated Mediation Framework

Although researchers have argued that supervisors are voice managers, the role of supervisors’ favorable feedback in employee voice behavior has received little attention. The current research addresses this issue from social exchange perspective by investigating the reciprocal relationship between supervisors’ downward favorable feedback and employee upward voice. We hypothesize a first-stage moderated mediation framework with supervisor identification as a mediator and relational energy as a moderator. By collecting data from 503 employees and their 205 immediate supervisors from a retailer company with a three-wave and multi-source research design, we find that supervisor favorable feedback is positively related to employee voice both directly and through the mediation of employees’ identification with their supervisors. In addition, this positive effect can be strengthened when employees perceive high relational energy from their supervisors. This research advances our understanding of the role of supervisor feedback skills in influencing employees’ extra-role behaviors. The findings also help business practitioners maximize the positive outcomes of supervisor favorable feedback effectively.

Seekers’ and Solvers’ Interaction Design Preferences for Open Innovation Platforms

Crowdsourcing is an open innovation mechanism by which organizations (solution seekers) engage in knowledge exchange with individual problem solvers via digital platforms. This study applies a discrete choice experiment with 842 respondents to examine seekers’ and solvers’ preferences for designing the interaction on open innovation platforms, and how these preferences shape the processes for creating and capturing value. More specifically, we investigate under which conditions seekers are inclined to accept the platform design features that are important for solvers to create and capture value. Taking a microfoundations perspective, we explore the role of social trust, risk aversion and the need for cognition of seekers and solvers in their choice on how to engage in open innovation activities on platforms. We explore potentially contradicting interaction design preferences of seekers and solvers in order to balance value creation and value capture to sustain their platform participation. In doing so, we contribute to our limited understanding of the microfoundations of open innovation. With our empirical approach, we propose a way to conceptualize, operationalize and measure open innovation value processes in a crowdsourcing context from a social exchange perspective. Social exchange theory provides a novel angle for addressing the interaction between seekers and solvers to improve the balance and sustainability of open innovation value processes.

How and when perceived leader narcissism impacts employee voice behavior: a social exchange perspective

AbstractDrawing from social exchange theory, this study proposes the effects of perceived leader narcissism on employees' voice behaviors (promotive voice and prohibitive voice) via organizational justice depending on the conditions of employees' trust in leader. Through investigating 257 employees and conducting a scenario study in China, this research shows that perceived leader narcissism is negatively related to prohibitive voice. The relationships between perceived leader narcissism and voice behaviors are moderated by trust in leader, and perceived leader narcissism is positively related to employees' voice behaviors when trust in leader is low. Results also show that organizational justice mediates the relationships between perceived leader narcissism and voice behaviors. The indirect effect of perceived leader narcissism on voice behaviors via organizational justice is moderated by trust in leader. This study has important implications for explaining the relationships between perceived leader narcissism and employees' voice behaviors and contributes to the social exchange theory by illustrating trust in the partner in exchange relationship as a boundary condition of norm reciprocity violation.

Partnerships in collegiate sport clubs: a social exchange perspective

ABSTRACT Research question : Sport clubs are complex organizations made up of amateur athletes, many of whom not only play on the team but also lead the club and interact with internal and external actors. While the actions and responsibilities of club members are well researched, little is known about the relationships these clubs have with other actors. The current case study investigated these exchange relationships within collegiate sport clubs (CSCs) through examining the following research question. What are the characteristics and outcomes of the social exchange relationships within CSCs? Research methods : Guided by social exchange theory and social constructivist epistemology, the researchers conducted focus groups with representatives from 29 clubs and interviews with four recreation professional staff at three universities across the United States. Results and findings : Analysis of the transcripts found multiple exchange relationships exist within CSCs, with primary importance placed on the relationships between the club’s executive board and club members, and the club members and the university. Each exchange relationship was found to contribute to specific desirable outcomes for the engaged actors that could not be had without the exchange partner. Implications : Analysis of the findings led to recommendations for practitioners on how to maximize the outcomes of the found exchange relationships and maintain quality exchanges between actors.

Why do eligible successors withdraw from the succession process in family businesses? A social exchange perspective

PurposeSuccessors' unwillingness to participate in the family business is known to impede intergenerational succession. However, little is known about why those considered eligible, do not choose to become the next chief executive officer (CEO). The authors investigate why some eligible successors withdraw from the succession process while others remain involved. The purpose of this paper is to build theory for which the authors made use of purposive sampling techniques that complied with certain criteria.Design/methodology/approachThe authors use an inductive, exploratory multi-case study design and investigate six Australian food manufacturers.FindingsThis paper's analysis reveals that successors' decisions are driven by dimensions: pursued outcome and reciprocity. Eligible successors withdrawing from succession are concerned about personal financial sustainability and the business' growth potential; this is accompanied by negative exchanges with the incumbent.Research limitations/implicationsThe authors studied a limited number of organizations and these were mainly managed by owner/founders. In this type of organization, successors have been widely exposed to the business and its struggles from an early age. Differences can be present in businesses managed by later generations whose emotional investment, therefore, socio-emotional needs might be different from the cohort being investigated. Second, the authors' aim in carrying out this study was to build theory for which we made use of purposive sampling techniques that complied with certain criteria. Further studies aiming at generalizable results would shed light on the usefulness of the typology and whether other rules apply to the incumbent–successor relationship while ascertaining how the exchanges contribute to the successor's decision to remain or withdraw from the family business.Practical implicationsThis study reveals the crucial nature of the incumbent in the succession process. Their role is not limited to how they interact with the successor but how deeply incumbents manage to understand and monitor the successor's motivations and concerns. Incumbents aiming at retaining eligible successors need to thoroughly understand successors' motivations for agreeing to become the next CEO.Originality/valueThis paper is one of the first to investigate successor withdrawal post training. The authors' methodology includes the responses of non-family senior managers to provide an objective view on the family dynamics.

Influence of Prior Ties on Trust and Contract Functions for BIM-Enabled EPC Megaproject Performance

Drawing on transaction cost theory as well as social exchange perspective, this study investigates the influence of prior ties on trust and contract functions—contractual control, coordination, and contingency adaptability—for improving building information modeling (BIM)–enabled engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) megaproject performance. This study compares questionnaire data collected from stakeholders in oil and gas megaprojects with and without prior working relationships and uses partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to analyze the relationship between trust, contract functions, and project performance in prior ties and nonprior ties model. The results reveal that trust influences project performance via contract functions significantly in both models. This study found that parties without a prior working relationship are more willing to rely on contractual control to improve project performance, whereas contracting parties with a prior working relationship are more likely to use contingency adaptability to enhance project performance. The findings of this study expand the theoretical understanding of how the trust engendered from prior ties influences the formation of contract functions to improve the performance of BIM-enabled EPC megaprojects.

Understanding relationship commitment and continuous knowledge sharing in online health communities: a social exchange perspective

PurposeOnline health communities (OHCs) have become increasingly popular sources of health information in recent years. However, little is known about the factors that affect the relationship commitment and continuous knowledge sharing intention among OHC members. Thus, this study aims to integrate social exchange and commitment-trust theories to establish a theoretical model to fill the gap.Design/methodology/approachA research model that integrates social exchange theory and commitment-trust theory is developed. Quantitative data from 519 valid questionnaires are collected via an offline survey. Statistical product and service solutions 20.0 and analysis of a moment structures 20.0 software are used to test the hypotheses.FindingsRelationship commitment directly influences continuous knowledge sharing intention, partially mediates the relationship between social support and continuous knowledge sharing intention, and fully mediates the relationship between perceived health risks and continuous knowledge sharing intention. Informational and emotional supports are identified as benefit factors that positively affect relationship commitment and perceived health risks are regarded as cost factors that negatively influence relationship commitment. Informational and emotional supports of OHC members produce different effects on relationship commitment when members obtain social support from different sources. Moreover, trust moderates the influences of informational support and perceived health risks on relationship commitment.Originality/valueThe findings provide additional insights that can augment the knowledge management literature by indicating how people are driven to share knowledge continuously in the context of OHCs. This study empirically clarifies the relationships of benefits (i.e. social support) and costs (i.e. perceived health risks) to continuous knowledge sharing intention by demonstrating the significant mediating effect of relationship commitment. In addition, the findings of this study highlight the importance of the social support source in OHCs and provide additional insights into commitment–trust theory by integrating the moderating effect of trust on the relationships between relationship commitment and its antecedents.

How vulnerability enriches family firm relationships: A social exchange perspective

Vulnerability is a defining and fundamental but under-researched, quality of many family firms. We define family vulnerability (FV) as the degree to which family owners and executives realistically perceive that they and their firms are susceptible to material and socioemotional losses from their ventures. Building on social exchange theory, we offer a model that specifies conditions by which FV allows family firm owner-managers to establish mutually beneficial and enduring relationships with prospective resource providers. These relationships improve strategic options for such parties who gain support when they most need it and are more committed and loyal to those who provide it, thereby engendering goodwill and social capital.