The Effect of Transformational Leadership on Employee Learning in the Workplace——The Mediation of High-activated Positive Emotion and Moderation of Emotional Intelligence

Abstract

Abstract:

Based on affective events theory and Broaden-and-Build Theory and taking consideration of emotional factors this study discusses how transformational leadership behaviors encourage employees to learn in the workplace. This study proposes and tests a mediated moderation model of employee learning in the workplace in which high-activated positive emotion works as a mediator between transformational leadership and employee learning in the workplace and emotional intelligence moderates the relationship between transformational leadership and high-activated positive emotion, and the relationship between high-activated positive emotion and employee learning. Across two field studies, two-wave data with 92 samples are gathered in study 1 and 356 employees in the workplace are gathered for the empirical analyses in study 2. The results verify our hypotheses. Transformational leadership has an indirect effect on employee learning through the mediation of high-activated positive emotion. Emotional intelligence interacts with transformational leadership to affect high-activated positive emotion, and the moderation effect of emotional intelligence on the relationship between high-activated positive emotion and employ learning is supported in study 2. Additionally, theoretical and practical implications are also discussed.

Key words: transformational leadership, employee learning in the workplace, high-activated positive emotion, emotional intelligence

Liu Wei. The Effect of Transformational Leadership on Employee Learning in the Workplace——The Mediation of High-activated Positive Emotion and Moderation of Emotional Intelligence[J]. , 2018, 30(10): 128-140.

References

[1] 陈国权. 复杂变化环境下人的学习能力:概念, 模型, 测量及影响[J]. 中国管理科学, 2008,16(1):147-157
[2] Maurer T. J., Pierce H. R., Shore L. M. Perceived Beneficiary of Employee Development Activity:A Three-Dimensional Social Exchange Model[J]. Academy of Management Review, 2002,27(3):432-444
[3] Bezuijen X. M., Van Den Berg P. T., Van Dam K., et al. Pygmalion and Employee Learning:The Role of Leader Behaviors[J]. Journal of Management, 2009,35(5):1248-1267
[4] Høyrup S. Employee-Driven Innovation and Workplace Learning:Basic Concepts, Approaches and Themes[J]. Transfer:European Review of Labour and Research, 2010,16(2):143-154
[5] Sonnentag S., Niessen C., Ohly S. Learning at Work:Training and Development[J]. International Review of Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 2004,19:249-290
[6] Mikkelsen A., Saksvik P. O., Eriksen H. R., et al. The Impact of Learning Opportunities and Decision Authority on Occupational Health[J]. Work & Stress, 1999,13(1):20-31
[7] Weiss P. R. Emotion and Learning[J]. Training & Development, 2000,54(11):44-48
[8] Bezuijen X. M., Van Dam K., Van Den Berg P. T., et al. How Leaders Stimulate Employee Learning:A Leader-Member Exchange Approach[J]. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 2010,83(3):673-693
[9] Froehlich D., Segers M., Bossche P. V. D. Informal Workplace Learning in Austrian Banks:The Influence of Learning Approach, Leadership Style, and Organizational Learning Culture on Managers' Learning Outcomes[J]. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 2014,25(1):29-57
[10] Connelly S., Gooty J. Leading with Emotion:An Overview of the Special Issue on Leadership and Emotions[J]. Leadership Quarterly, 2015,26(4):485-488
[11] Chen G., Klimoski R. J. Training and Development of Human Resources at Work:Is the State of Our Science Strong?[J]. Human Resource Management Review, 2007,17(2):180-190
[12] Noe R. A., Tews M. J., McConnell Dachner A. Learner Engagement:A New Perspective for Enhancing Our Understanding of Learner Motivation and Workplace Learning[J]. The Academy of Management Annals, 2010,4(1):279-315
[13] George J. M. Emotions and Leadership:The Role of Emotional Intelligence[J]. Human Relations, 2000,53(8):1027-1055
[14] Mongrain M., Anselmo-Matthews T. Do Positive Psychology Exercises Work? A Replication of Seligman et al.(2005)[J]. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 2012,68(4):382-389
[15] Seo M. G., Barrett L. F., Bartunek J. M. The Role of Affective Experience in Work Motivation[J]. Academy of Management Review, 2004,29(3):423-439
[16] Fredrickson B. L. The Role of Positive Emotions in Positive Psychology:The Broaden-and-build Theory of Positive Emotions[J]. American Psychologist, 2001,56(3):218-226
[17] Parker S. K., Bindl U. K., Strauss K. Making Things Happen:A Model of Proactive Motivation[J]. Journal of Management, 2010,36(4):827-856
[18] Weiss H., Cropanzano R. Affective Events Theory:A Theoretical Discussion of the Structure, Causes and Consequences of Affective Experiences at Work. Research in Organizational Behavior:An Annual Series of Analytical Essays and Critical Reviews[J]. Research in Organizational Behavior, 1996,18(3):1-74
[19] Madrid H. P., Patterson M. G., Birdi K. S., et al. The Role of Weekly High-Activated Positive Mood, Context, and Personality in Innovative Work Behavior:A Multilevel and Interactional Model[J]. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 2014,35(2):234-256
[20] Chen L. T., Chen C. W., Chen C. Y. Are Educational Background and Gender Moderator Variables for Leadership, Satisfaction and Organizational Commitment?[J]. African Journal of Business Management, 2010,4(2):248-261
[21] Peña-Sarrionandia A., Mikolajczak M., Gross J. J. Integrating Emotion Regulation and Emotional Intelligence Traditions:A Meta-Analysis[J]. Frontiers in Psychology, 2015,6(160):1-27
[22] Furnham A. The Relationship between Cognitive Ability, Emotional Intelligence and Creativity[J]. Psychology, 2016,7(2):193-197
[23] Abe A. A. J. Positive Emotions, Emotional Intelligence, and Successful Experiential Learning[J]. Personality and Individual Differences, 2011,51(7):817-822
[24] Berson Y., Da'As R., Waldman D. A. How Do Leaders and their Teams Bring About Organizational Learning and Outcomes?[J]. Personnel Psychology, 2015,68(1):79-108
[25] Fineman S. Understanding Emotion at Work[M]. London:Sage, 2003
[26] Coetzer A. Employee Perceptions of Their Workplaces as Learning Environments[J]. Journal of Workplace Learning, 2007,19(7):417-434
[27] Ellinger A. D., Hamlin R. G., Beattie R. S., et al. Managerial Coaching as A Workplace Learning Strategy[M]. Netherlands:Springer, 2011
[28] 曲如杰,康海琴. 领导行为对员工创新的权变影响研究[J]. 管理评论, 2014,26(1):88-98
[29] Tsai W. C., Chen H. W., Cheng J. W. Employee Positive Moods as A Mediator Linking Transformational Leadership and Employee Work Outcomes[J]. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 2009,20(1):206-219
[30] Rodriguez-Ponce E. Leadership Styles, Strategic Decision Making and Performance:An Empirical Study in Small and Medium-Size Firms[J]. Interciencia, 2007,32(8):522-528
[31] Brown M. E., Treviño L. K., Harrison D. A. Ethical Leadership:A Social Learning Perspective for Construct Development and Testing[J]. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 2005,97(2):117-134
[32] Liu W. Effects of Positive Mood and Job Complexity on Employee Creativity and Performance[J]. Social Behavior & Personality:An International Journal, 2016,44(5):865-880
[33] Spector P. E., Bauer J. A., Fox S. Measurement Artifacts in The Assessment of Counterproductive Work Behavior and Organizational Citizenship Behavior:Do We Know What We Think We Know?[J]. Journal of Applied Psychology, 2010,95(4):781-790
[34] Russell J. A. Core Affect and The Psychological Construction of Emotion[J]. Psychological Review, 2003,110(1):145-172
[35] Fredrickson B. L., Branigan C. Positive Emotions Broaden The Scope of Attention and Thought-Action Repertoires[J]. Cognition & Emotion, 2005,19(3):313-332
[36] 王桢,陈乐妮,李旭培. 变革型领导与工作投入:基于情感视角的调节中介模型[J]. 管理评论, 2015,27(9):120-129
[37] Mayer J. D., Salovey P. What is emotional intelligence?[M]. New York:Basic Books, 1997
[38] Zeidner M., Matthews G., Roberts R. D. Emotional Intelligence in The Workplace:A Critical Review[J]. Applied Psychology, 2004,53(3):371-399
[39] Chang S. C., Lee M. S. A Study on Relationship Among Leadership, Organizational Culture, The Operation of Learning Organization and Employees' Job Satisfaction[J]. Learning Organization, 2007,14(2):155-185
[40] 邱林,郑雪,王雁飞. 积极情感消极情感量表(PANAS)的修订[J]. 应用心理学, 2008,14(3):249-254
[41] Wong C. S., Law K. S. The Effects of Leader and Follower Emotional Intelligence on Performance and Attitude:An Exploratory Study[J]. The Leadership Quarterly, 2002,13(3):243-274
[42] Barclay L. J., Kiefer T. Approach or Avoid? Exploring Overall Justice and The Differential Effects of Positive and Negative Emotions[J]. Journal of Management, 2014,40(7):1857-1898
[43] Hayes A. F., Scharkow M. The Relative Trustworthiness of Inferential Tests of The Indirect Effect in Statistical Mediation Analysis[J]. Psychological Science, 2013,24(10):1918-1927
[44] Hair J. F., Jr., Anderson R. E., Tatham R. L., et al. Multivariate Data Analysis (5th ed.)[M]. Upper Saddle River, NJ:Prentice-Hall, 1998
[45] 陈国权. 组织学习和学习型组织:概念, 能力模型, 测量及对绩效的影响[J]. 管理评论, 2009,21(1):107-116