Guanxi circle and organizational citizenship behavior: Context of a Chinese workplace

Jar- Der Luo (), Meng-Yu Cheng and Tian Zhang
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Jar- Der Luo: Tsinghua University
Meng-Yu Cheng: Feng-Chia University
Tian Zhang: Tsinghua University

Asia Pacific Journal of Management, 2016, vol. 33, issue 3, No 4, 649-671

Abstract: Abstract According to leader-member exchange (LMX) theory, good vertical working relations encourage organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) that benefits organizations. But how does supervisor-subordinate guanxi influence employees’ extra-role behaviors in relation to organizational interests? To answer this question, this paper examines a particular structural phenomenon in the context of the Chinese workplace. Guanxi circles (the phenomenon under investigation) are ego-centered guanxi networks with a powerful person at the center. Although a circle leader and his or her group members exchange favors for private goals, they need to actively balance their own interests with the interests of people/groups outside the guanxi circle; so as to maintain a harmonious relationship with the larger network. For this reason, extra-role performance benefiting the larger network is encouraged in the management of a guanxi circle. By studying survey data from China, we demonstrate how a wide variety of circle roles facilitate extra-role performance, and ultimately benefit the organization as a whole. Circle bridges have higher OCB toward organizations (OCB-O) than peripheral members of a circle, who in turn have higher OCB-O than core members of the same circle.

Keywords: Guanxi circle; Organizational citizenship behavior; Bridge; LMX (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (10)

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DOI: 10.1007/s10490-016-9479-7

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