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How Does Environmentally Specific Servant Leadership Fuel Employees’ Low-Carbon Behavior? The Role of Environmental Self-Accountability and Power Distance Orientation

Author

Listed:
  • Yuhuan Xia

    (School of Economics and Management, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing 100044, China)

  • Yubo Liu

    (School of Business, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, China)

  • Changlin Han

    (School of Business, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, China)

  • Yang Gao

    (School of Business, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, China)

  • Yuanyuan Lan

    (School of Economics and Management, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing 100044, China)

Abstract

Environmental problems caused by excessive carbon emissions are becoming increasingly prominent and have received heightened attention in recent years. Encouraging people to adopt low-carbon behavior to reduce carbon emissions is desirable. Based on social learning theory, we developed and tested a moderated mediation model to investigate when and how environmentally specific servant (ESS) leadership impacts employees’ low-carbon behavior (i.e., private low-carbon behavior and public low-carbon behavior). We tested our theoretical framework with a sample of 483 subordinates and their direct supervisors working in northern China. The results indicate that ESS leadership is positively related to employees’ low-carbon behavior, and that environmental self-accountability plays a mediating role in this relationship. In addition, power distance orientation strengthens the direct effects of ESS leadership on employees’ environmental self-accountability and low-carbon behavior, as well as the indirect effect of ESS leadership on private low-carbon behavior via environmental self-accountability. Our findings contribute to the literature surrounding ESS leadership and low-carbon behavior, and help to promote green development and thus achieve the goals of carbon neutrality and decreasing carbon dioxide emissions.

Suggested Citation

  • Yuhuan Xia & Yubo Liu & Changlin Han & Yang Gao & Yuanyuan Lan, 2022. "How Does Environmentally Specific Servant Leadership Fuel Employees’ Low-Carbon Behavior? The Role of Environmental Self-Accountability and Power Distance Orientation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(5), pages 1-17, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:5:p:3025-:d:764312
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Zhang, Yixiang & Fu, Bowen & Maani, Sholeh & Wen, Le, 2024. "Employee energy-saving behaviors: Review of theories, influencing factors, and interventions," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 203(C).
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    3. Baolong Yuan & Jingyu Li, 2022. "Understanding the Impact of Environmentally Specific Servant Leadership on Employees’ Pro-Environmental Behaviors in the Workplace: Based on the Proactive Motivation Model," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-26, December.

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