IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v20y2022i1p707-d1020860.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

When Is Authoritarian Leadership Less Detrimental? The Role of Leader Capability

Author

Listed:
  • Qiufeng Huang

    (School of Political Science and Public Administration, Huaqiao University, Quanzhou 362021, China)

  • Kaili Zhang

    (School of Business, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China)

  • Yanqun Wang

    (School of Political Science and Public Administration, Huaqiao University, Quanzhou 362021, China)

  • Ali Ahmad Bodla

    (Nijmegen School of Management, Radboud University, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands)

  • Duogang Zhu

    (School of Journalism and New Media, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China)

Abstract

We developed and tested a moderated mediation model of the relationship between authoritarian leadership and employees’ task performance as well as their affective organizational commitment. Analyses of multilevel, multisource, and three-wave data from 99 supervisors and 341 subordinates showed that leader effectiveness evaluations mediated the time-lagged relationship of authoritarian leadership with employees’ task performance and affective organizational commitment. Moreover, when leader capability is high, it mitigates the negative relationship between AL and employees’ outcomes. Furthermore, the leader capability moderates the indirect relationship of authoritarian leadership with employees’ task performance and affective organizational commitment via leader effectiveness evaluation. This study contributes to leadership research and extends our understanding of how and under what circumstances AL is less detrimental to employees’ workplace outcomes.

Suggested Citation

  • Qiufeng Huang & Kaili Zhang & Yanqun Wang & Ali Ahmad Bodla & Duogang Zhu, 2022. "When Is Authoritarian Leadership Less Detrimental? The Role of Leader Capability," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-17, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2022:i:1:p:707-:d:1020860
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/1/707/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/1/707/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Guo, Liang & Decoster, Stijn & Babalola, Mayowa T. & De Schutter, Leander & Garba, Omale A. & Riisla, Katrin, 2018. "Authoritarian leadership and employee creativity: The moderating role of psychological capital and the mediating role of fear and defensive silence," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 219-230.
    2. Feng Wei & Yi Li & Yi Zhang & Shubo Liu, 2018. "The Interactive Effect of Authentic Leadership and Leader Competency on Followers’ Job Performance: The Mediating Role of Work Engagement," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 153(3), pages 763-773, December.
    3. Ying Chen & Xiaohu Zhou & Kim Klyver, 2019. "Collective Efficacy: Linking Paternalistic Leadership to Organizational Commitment," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 159(2), pages 587-603, October.
    4. Liu, Fangzhou & Liang, Jian & Chen, Mo, 2021. "The Danger of Blindly Following: Examining the Relationship Between Authoritarian Leadership and Unethical Pro-organizational Behaviors," Management and Organization Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 17(3), pages 524-550, July.
    5. Min Wu & Xu Huang & Chenwei Li & Wu Liu, 2012. "Perceived Interactional Justice and Trust-in-supervisor as Mediators for Paternalistic Leadership," Management and Organization Review, The International Association for Chinese Management Research, vol. 8(1), pages 97-121, March.
    6. Wu, Min & Huang, Xu & Li, Chenwei & Liu, Wu, 2012. "Perceived Interactional Justice and Trust-in-supervisor as Mediators for Paternalistic Leadership," Management and Organization Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 8(1), pages 97-121, March.
    7. Wang, An-Chih & Chiang, Jack Ting-Ju & Tsai, Chou-Yu & Lin, Tzu-Ting & Cheng, Bor-Shiuan, 2013. "Gender makes the difference: The moderating role of leader gender on the relationship between leadership styles and subordinate performance," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 122(2), pages 101-113.
    8. Wu, Min & Huang, Xu & Li, Chenwei & Liu, Wu, 2012. "Perceived Interactional Justice and Trust-in-supervisor as Mediators for Paternalistic Leadership," Management and Organization Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 8(01), pages 97-122, March.
    9. Yuyan Zheng & Les Graham & Jiing-Lih Farh & Xu Huang, 2021. "The Impact of Authoritarian Leadership on Ethical Voice: A Moderated Mediation Model of Felt Uncertainty and Leader Benevolence," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 170(1), pages 133-146, April.
    10. Duan, Jinyun & Bao, Chanzi & Huang, Caiyun & Brinsfield, Chad Thomas, 2018. "Authoritarian leadership and employee silence in China," Journal of Management & Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 24(1), pages 62-80, January.
    11. Prochazka, Jakub & Vaculik, Martin & Smutny, Petr & Jezek, Stanislav, 2018. "Leader traits, transformational leadership and leader effectiveness: A mediation study from the Czech Republic," Journal of East European Management Studies, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, vol. 23(3), pages 474-501.
    12. Zhang, Yan & Xie, Yun-Hui, 2017. "Authoritarian Leadership and Extra-Role Behaviors: A Role-Perception Perspective," Management and Organization Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 13(1), pages 147-166, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Leni Chen & Xu Huang & Jian-min Sun & Yuyan Zheng & Les Graham & Judy Jiang, 2024. "The virtue of a controlling leadership style: Authoritarian leadership, work stressors, and leader power distance orientation," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 41(2), pages 507-547, June.
    2. Lei Yao & Xiao-Ping Chen & Hongguo Wei, 2023. "How do authoritarian and benevolent leadership affect employee work–family conflict? An emotional regulation perspective," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 40(4), pages 1525-1553, December.
    3. Chiang, Jack Ting Ju & Chen, Xiao Ping & Liu, Haiyang & Akutsu, Satoshi & Wang, Zheng, 2020. "We have emotions but can’t show them! Authoritarian leadership, emotion suppression climate, and team performance," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 104058, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    4. Lee, Jeoung Yul & Kim, Sunghoon & Noh, Shinwon & Jang, Seung Hoon & Lee, Sang Youn, 2024. "Paradoxical organizational culture, authoritarian leadership, and international firm performance: evidence from international firms in China," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 30(1).
    5. Alisher Tohirovich Dedahanov & Abdulkhamid Komil ugli Fayzullaev & Odiljon Sobirovich Abdurazzakov & Dilshodjon Alidjonovich Rakhmonov & Oyniso Zakirova, 2022. "Paternalistic Leadership Styles and Employee Voice: The Roles of Trust in Supervisors and Self-Efficacy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-14, October.
    6. Karakitapoğlu-Aygün, Zahide & Gumusluoglu, Lale & Erturk, Alper & Scandura, Terri A., 2021. "Two to Tango? A cross-cultural investigation of the leader-follower agreement on authoritarian leadership," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 473-485.
    7. Yuyan Zheng & Les Graham & Jiing-Lih Farh & Xu Huang, 2021. "The Impact of Authoritarian Leadership on Ethical Voice: A Moderated Mediation Model of Felt Uncertainty and Leader Benevolence," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 170(1), pages 133-146, April.
    8. Horak, Sven, 2013. "Cross-cultural experimental economics and indigenous management research: Issues and contributions," Working Papers on East Asian Studies 92/2013, University of Duisburg-Essen, Institute of East Asian Studies IN-EAST.
    9. Han Ren & Zhengqiang Zhong & Charles Weizheng Chen & Chris Brewster, 2023. "Two-way in-/congruence in three components of paternalistic leadership and subordinate justice: the mediating role of perceptions of renqing," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 22(2), pages 643-668, April.
    10. Shuang Ren & Yuhua Xie & Ying Zhu & Malcolm Warner, 2018. "New generation employees’ preferences towards leadership style in China," Asia Pacific Business Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(4), pages 437-458, August.
    11. Gao Jianzhuang, 2023. "The Influence of Ethical Leadership on Organizational Citizenship Behavior--Workplace Humanization as a Mediating Variable," International Journal of Science and Business, IJSAB International, vol. 20(1), pages 92-108.
    12. Qinxuan Gu & Thomas Tang & Wan Jiang, 2015. "Does Moral Leadership Enhance Employee Creativity? Employee Identification with Leader and Leader–Member Exchange (LMX) in the Chinese Context," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 126(3), pages 513-529, February.
    13. Cai-Hui Veronica Lin & Jian-Min James Sun, 2018. "Chinese employees’ leadership preferences and the relationship with power distance orientation and core self-evaluation," Frontiers of Business Research in China, Springer, vol. 12(1), pages 1-22, December.
    14. Yue Wang & Wenhao Luo & Jing Zhang & Yirong Guo, 2019. "More humility, less counterproductive work behaviors? The role of interpersonal justice and trust," Frontiers of Business Research in China, Springer, vol. 13(1), pages 1-18, December.
    15. Anand, Amitabh & Dalmasso, Audrey & Vessal, Saeedeh Rezaee & Parameswar, Nakul & Rajasekar, James & Dhal, Manoranjan, 2023. "The effect of job security, insecurity, and burnout on employee organizational commitment," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 162(C).
    16. Tingting Chen & Fuli Li & Kwok Leung, 2017. "Whipping into shape: Construct definition, measurement, and validation of directive-achieving leadership in Chinese culture," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 34(3), pages 537-563, September.
    17. Chieh-Peng Lin & Chi Jhang & Yu-Min Wang, 2022. "Learning value-based leadership in teams: the moderation of emotional regulation," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 16(5), pages 1387-1408, July.
    18. Ghulam Ali Arain & Zeeshan Ahmed Bhatti & Naeem Ashraf & Yu-Hui Fang, 2020. "Top-Down Knowledge Hiding in Organizations: An Empirical Study of the Consequences of Supervisor Knowledge Hiding Among Local and Foreign Workers in the Middle East," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 164(3), pages 611-625, July.
    19. Ahmad, Saima, 2018. "Can ethical leadership inhibit workplace bullying across East and West: Exploring cross-cultural interactional justice as a mediating mechanism," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 36(2), pages 223-234.
    20. Lei Wang & Meng-Yu Cheng & Song Wang, 2018. "Carrot or Stick? The Role of In-Group/Out-Group on the Multilevel Relationship Between Authoritarian and Differential Leadership and Employee Turnover Intention," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 152(4), pages 1069-1084, November.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2022:i:1:p:707-:d:1020860. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.