关键词: 建言采纳, 上下级关系, 建言类型, 管理者感知忠诚

Abstract: According to the theory of persuasion, the effectiveness of persuasion is affected by information source, information content, information receiver. Substantially, voice expression and endorsement can be considered as a process of persuasion, referring to the process that information sender (voice actor) attempts to persuade information receiver (voice target) to endorse information content (voice content). Drawing from this perspective, the current study explored the influences of voice content and voice actor on manager voice endorsement. Specifically, we hypothesize that manager is more likely to endorse promotive voice than prohibitive voice; and superior-subordinate guanxi moderates the relationship between voice type and voice endorsement such that when superior-subordinate guanxi is low, this effect is significant. Manager perceived loyalty accounts for the moderating effect of superior-subordinate guanxi. We conducted two different experiments to test our model, with both 2 × 2 between-subjects scenario designs. In study 1, participants are asked to take a role of sales department manager and are randomly assigned to be one of four conditions. It manipulated the voice type (promotive versus prohibitive voice) and the superior-subordinate guanxi (high versus general). In Study 2, the procedure is consistent with the study 1, but differently, the study 2 included the regulatory focus of managers as a controlling factor to avoid its effect and further manipulated the voice type (promotive versus prohibitive voice) and the superior-subordinate guanxi (high versus low). Data from 230 managers in experiment one reveal that: (1) manager endorses promotive voice more than prohibitive voice; (2) superior–subordinate guanxi moderates the relationship between voice type and voice endorsement such that the effect of voice type on voice endorsement is significant when superior–subordinate guanxi is low, but the effect is not significant when superior–subordinate guanxi is high; (3) superior–subordinate guanxi has a positive impact on manager perceived loyalty; (4) manager perceived loyalty moderates the influence of the voice type on voice endorsement such that the influence of voice type on voice endorsement is significant when manager perceived loyalty is low, but not significant when manager perceived loyalty is high; (5) the moderating effect of superior-subordinate guanxi can be explained by manager perceived loyalty. Accordingly, the proposed hypotheses are well supported by the data. The results of experiment two are consistent with experiment one and support our hypotheses too. These findings have furthered the literature in several ways. First, it enriches voice literature by providing new empirical evidence of voice consequences. Second, it extends the voice endorsement literature by highlighting the interaction between voice type and superior-subordinate guanxi. Third, it enlightens the theory of persuasion by applying it in a new domain. The possible managerial implications are also discussed.

Key words: Voice endorsement, Superior–subordinate guanxi , Voice Type , Supervisor perceived loyalty