The Effect of Psychological Safety Climate on Voice Behavior in Chinese Technology Innovation Companies: Focusing on the Moderating Effect of Guanxi with Team Leaders

Chiho Ok, Myeongcheol Choi () and Hann Earl Kim
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Chiho Ok: College of Business Administration, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon-si 24341, Gangwon-do, Republic of Korea
Myeongcheol Choi: College of Business, Gachon University, Seongnam-si 13120, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
Hann Earl Kim: College of Business, Gachon University, Seongnam-si 13120, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 15, 1-22

Abstract: Under intensified downward economic pressures on the economy, technological innovation is playing a pivotal role in the development of Chinese enterprises. Employees’ psychological safety significantly influences their innovative behaviors, as a climate of psychological safety fosters greater willingness among staff to engage in voice behaviors. Guanxi with a team leader may decrease this effect. This study analyzed survey data from 263 employees of China’s private manufacturing enterprises to explore the moderating role of guanxi with a team leader in the relationship between psychological safety climate and voice behavior. Results showed that psychological safety climate was positively correlated with promotive and prohibitive voices, and employees with a higher psychological safety climate were more likely to develop voice behavior. Guanxi with team leaders negatively moderated the relationship between psychological safety climate and promotive and prohibitive voices, and the association between psychological safety climate and promotive and prohibitive voices was strong when guanxi with a team leader was weak. This study expands the scope of the application of guanxi, with team leaders as a moderating variable. It helps leaders focus on the psychological safety climate of employees, maintain harmonious and friendly interpersonal relationships with employees, enable employees to spontaneously contribute to the development of the organization, and enhance cohesion in the organization.

Keywords: Guanxi; psychological safety climate; promotive voices behavior; prohibitive voices behavior; Chinese technology innovation companies; leader–member exchange (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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