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The Impacts of Distinct Motives on Promotive and Prohibitive Voice: The Differential Moderating Role of Perceived Voice Level

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Abstract

Drawing upon the citizenship motives framework and voice research, this study theorizes that both organizational concern (OC) and impression management (IM) motives are key predictors of employee promotive and prohibitive voice. This study further explores the moderating effect of perceived voice level in the work context on the relationships between motives and voice. The results of 140 pairings of supervisor-subordinate dyads indicate that both OC and IM motives are determinants of promotive and prohibitive voice. Moreover, perceived voice level in the work context plays distinct roles in moderating the main effects of motives on voice. Specifically, perceived voice level in the work context mitigates the influence of OC motives on promotive and prohibitive voice, whereas it strengthens the impact of IM motives on promotive and prohibitive voice. This study provides implications for both theory and practice. Limitations and future directions are also discussed.

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Notes

  1. Voice is similar to and different from constructive deviance and prosocial rule breaking. Although they may bring positive benefits to the organization, the fact that they challenge the status quo may render negative consequences to the enactor. However, voice involves a specific recipient, as it is the communication of potential change rather than the change itself (Morrison, 2014).

  2. Assessing perceived voice level in the work context as an individual-level perception aligns with employees’ “reading of the wind” surrounding the enactment of voice behavior within their work contexts.

  3. Perceived voice level in the work context and psychological safety are distinct concepts. Psychological safety depicts the extent to which an individual believes engagement in a risky behavior will not engender negative consequences (Detert & Burris, 2007).

  4. We originally considered six other control variables (i.e., employees’ gender, age, education, and PV motives, organization type, and leader-member exchange) based on prior research. We chose to only retain employee position for final analysis because it passed the test of having a strong (a) theoretical and (b) empirical basis for inclusion. Inclusion of these other variables did not substantially alter our findings, as all of the hypothesized relationships remained significant.

  5. Climates operationalized at the individual level are known as psychological climates. Psychological climates are individual perceptions of “the behaviors that are expected and rewarded in the workplace” (Brawley Newlin & Pury, 2020, p. 539). Psychological climates and group climates are often best regarded as distinct.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Economics and Management, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, China

    Qiwei Zhou

  2. School of Business Administration, Faculty of Business Administration, Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, Chengdu, China

    Jih-Yu Mao & Xianhui Ning

  3. Renmin Business School, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China

    Xin Liu

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  1. Qiwei Zhou
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Correspondence to Xin Liu.

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This research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant 72002214) and the fund for building world-class universities (disciplines) of Renmin University of China (Project No. KYGJD2021003) awarded to Xin Liu.

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Zhou, Q., Mao, JY., Liu, X. et al. The Impacts of Distinct Motives on Promotive and Prohibitive Voice: The Differential Moderating Role of Perceived Voice Level. J Bus Psychol 37, 601–613 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10869-021-09760-5

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