Effect of guanxi on Chinese subordinates' work behaviors: a conceptual framework

Purpose – This study aims to investigate a subordinate's perception of supervisor-subordinate guanxi and its impact on the subordinate's work-related outcomes. Design/methodology/approach – This study draws upon relevant literature and develops a theoretical framework that investigates the relationships among a subordinate's perceived supervisor-subordinate guanxi, loyalty to supervisor, challenge-oriented organizational citizenship behaviour (OCB), affiliation-oriented OCB, job security perception, and task performance. Findings – This study suggests first, subordinate-supervisor guanxi will have a positive impact on a subordinate's loyalty to supervisor. Second, subordinate-supervisor guanxi will negatively affect a subordinate's challenge-oriented OCB, but will positively affect a subordinate's affiliation-oriented OCB. Third, a subordinate's loyalty to supervisor will negatively influence his or her challenge-oriented OCB, but will positively influence his or her affiliation-oriented OCB. Fourth, challenge-oriented OCB will negatively affect job security perception, whereas affiliation-oriented OCB will positively affect job security perception. Finally, job security perception will positively influence task performance. Research limitations/implications – This study has several limitations. First, it does not consider the role of personality traits in determining work-related behaviours. Second, it only considers a one-to-one guanxi relationship. Thus, the results of this study could be different when a supervisor has one-to-many guanxi relationships. Practical implications – This study suggests that a supervisor should take how to create quality informal relationships with subordinates into account when attempting to motivate Chinese subordinates' task and extra-role performance. Moreover, managers should manage effective informal social networks with subordinates proactively. Originality/value – This study is one of the few studies that examine the impact of subordinate-supervisor guanxi on both extra-role and in-role performance from the perspective of singular view of subordinate-supervisor guanxi.