The curvilinear relationship between job satisfaction and employee voice: Speaking up for the organization and the self

Xiaowan Lin (), Long W. Lam () and Lida L. Zhang ()
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Xiaowan Lin: University of Macau
Long W. Lam: University of Macau
Lida L. Zhang: University of Macau

Asia Pacific Journal of Management, 2020, vol. 37, issue 2, No 11, 587-607

Abstract: Abstract Integrating the self-serving effect of voice with the literature that emphasizes the prosocial motive of voice behavior, this study investigates the possibility of a U-shaped curvilinear relationship between job satisfaction and voice behavior. The findings show that different voice beliefs (employees’ prosocial and self-protective voice beliefs) moderate the U-shaped curvilinear relationship with distinct patterns. Specifically, for employees with a stronger prosocial voice belief the relationship between job satisfaction and voice is more positive at high levels of job satisfaction and less negative at low levels of job satisfaction. Self-protective voice belief attenuates the relationship between job satisfaction and voice at both high and low levels of job satisfaction, resulting in a less U-shaped relationship for employees with a stronger self-protective voice belief. These findings support our arguments about the coexistence of multiple motives of voice and their relative strength across different levels of job satisfaction.

Keywords: Employee voice; Job satisfaction; Prosocial voice belief; Self-protective voice belief (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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DOI: 10.1007/s10490-018-9622-8

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