Multipath Serially-Mediating Mechanisms of Employee Attitudes and Behaviors

Abstract

This research employs the social exchange theory within a macro-external context to conduct a theoretical and empirical examination of the relationship between socially intelligent leadership and organizational performance. It explores, through multipath serially mediating mechanisms, the employee attitudes (reflected on employee motivation and organizational commitment) and employee behaviors (reflected on work engagement and organizational citizen behavior). The hypotheses of the study were tested using structural equation modelling based on data collected from 657 employees within 99 SMEs located in Greece. The analysis confirms the positive yet varying effects of the associated partial and serial mediating mechanisms. Specifically, the mediating mechanism through organizational commitment and work engagement demonstrates a stronger impact of socially intelligent leadership on organizational performance compared to the other mediating pathways. The research and practical implications are also discussed.