How does transformational leadership influence proactive customer service behavior of frontline service employees? Examining the mediating roles of psychological empowerment and affective commitment
Journal of Enterprise Information Management
ISSN: 1741-0398
Article publication date: 13 February 2017
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the mediating roles of two variables of psychological empowerment and affective commitment of frontline service employees (FSEs) in the relationship between transformational leadership (TFL) and proactive customer service behavior (PCSB) of FSEs.
Design/methodology/approach
In a rigorous research design, the authors obtained data from 225 FSE-supervisor dyads working in a large Indian IT services organization. Analysis was done using structural equation modeling approach in LISREL 8.72.
Findings
As expected, affective commitment and psychological empowerment of FSEs fully mediated the positive relationship between TFL and PCSB of FSEs, even after controlling for age and tenure. The specified model explained 24 percent of the variance in PCSB of FSEs.
Research limitations/implications
As FSEs act as the face of a service organization, therefore their proactive behavior plays an important role in customer satisfaction. Enactment of TFL by supervisors fosters PCSB of FSEs. Therefore, organizations must develop TFL skills in their managers to psychologically empower FSEs and get them committed to a superior service delivery through PCSB.
Originality/value
The study is one amongst the few studies to explore the relationship between TFL and proactive behavior in the customer service domain. Additionally, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to examine the explanatory mechanisms through which transformational leaders foster PCSB of FSEs.
Keywords
Citation
Jauhari, H., Singh, S. and Kumar, M. (2017), "How does transformational leadership influence proactive customer service behavior of frontline service employees? Examining the mediating roles of psychological empowerment and affective commitment", Journal of Enterprise Information Management, Vol. 30 No. 1, pp. 30-48. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEIM-01-2016-0003
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2017, Emerald Publishing Limited