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How supervisor perceived overqualification influences exploitative leadership: the mediating role of job anxiety and the moderating role of psychological entitlement

Linyi Guo (Economics and Management School, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China)
Jing Du (Economics and Management School, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China)
Juncheng Zhang (School of Management, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China)

Leadership & Organization Development Journal

ISSN: 0143-7739

Article publication date: 17 May 2024

Issue publication date: 24 July 2024

282

Abstract

Purpose

Drawing on appraisal theory of emotion, this study aims to establish and test a moderated mediation model underlying the process of exploitative leadership by investigating the mediating role of job anxiety and the moderating role of psychological entitlement.

Design/methodology/approach

We collected two-wave questionnaire data from 355 supervisors with matched responses from 1,065 subordinates in Hubei province of China. Hierarchical multiple regression and PROCESS macro were applied to test our hypotheses.

Findings

The results indicated that supervisor perceived overqualification prompted supervisor job anxiety, which then led to raised exploitative leadership. Additionally, we found that supervisor psychological entitlement intensified the direct effect of supervisor perceived overqualification on supervisor job anxiety as well as the indirect effect of supervisor perceived overqualification on exploitative leadership through supervisor job anxiety.

Originality/value

Although researchers have documented a growing number of consequences of exploitative leadership, less focus has been placed on its antecedents. The study extends our understanding of why, how and when supervisors engage in exploitative behaviors.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the research grant from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Project No. 72272113, 72071052).

Citation

Guo, L., Du, J. and Zhang, J. (2024), "How supervisor perceived overqualification influences exploitative leadership: the mediating role of job anxiety and the moderating role of psychological entitlement", Leadership & Organization Development Journal, Vol. 45 No. 6, pp. 976-991. https://doi.org/10.1108/LODJ-06-2023-0292

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2024, Emerald Publishing Limited

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