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How to Motivate Employees’ Environmental Citizenship Behavior through Perceived Interpersonal Circle Power? A New Perspective from Chinese Circle Culture

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  • Lingyun Mi

    (School of Management, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China)

  • Ting Xu

    (School of Management, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China)

  • Xiaoli Gan

    (School of Management, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China)

  • Hong Chen

    (School of Management, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China)

  • Lijie Qiao

    (School of Management, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China)

  • Hanlin Zhu

    (School of Management, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China)

Abstract

Employees’ spontaneous environmental citizenship behavior (ECB) is a key factor in facilitating the low-carbon transition of enterprises. However, little research has focused on the impact of interpersonal interactions on ECB. To explore how ECB is affected by special interpersonal circles in Chinese organizations, we propose a new concept: perceived interpersonal circle power (PICP). From the two dimensions of PICP, leader-oriented perceived interpersonal circle power (PICP-L) and colleague-oriented perceived interpersonal circle power (PICP-C), we establish a mechanism model to explore the effect of PICP on ECB. A structural equation model was used to test our hypotheses through 332 questionnaires, and the results show that PICP-L and PICP-C differ significantly in the directions and strengths of their effects on ECB. PICP-C has a direct positive driving effect on environmental engagement behavior (EEB) and environmental helping behavior (EHB). High PICP-C can also encourage EEB via affective organizational commitment (AOC). Conversely, PICP-L has no significant effect on EEB. More unexpectedly, PICP-L has a significant negative influence on EHB. This study provides a new direction for future theoretical research on ECB, as well as a new opportunity for policy-making and enterprise management practices to promote employees’ ECB.

Suggested Citation

  • Lingyun Mi & Ting Xu & Xiaoli Gan & Hong Chen & Lijie Qiao & Hanlin Zhu, 2019. "How to Motivate Employees’ Environmental Citizenship Behavior through Perceived Interpersonal Circle Power? A New Perspective from Chinese Circle Culture," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(17), pages 1-15, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:17:p:4549-:d:259731
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Nuraddeen Abubakar Nuhu & Kevin Baird & Sophia Su, 2023. "The impact of interactive and diagnostic levers of eco‐control on eco‐innovation: The mediating role of employee environmental citizenship behaviour," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 63(2), pages 2245-2271, June.
    2. 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.

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