The Relationship of Employee Perceptions of the Immediate Supervisor and Top Management With Collective Efficacy

Abstract

Middle-level managers ( N = 1,149) in an Italian service organization were administered a questionnaire that assessed self- and collective efficacy in dealing with job responsibilities and tasks, perceptions of their immediate supervisor regarding support and encouragement, perceptions of top management regarding the coordination of different units and communication, and affective organizational commitment and job satisfaction. Structural equation modeling supported (a) the differential relationship of perceptions of two levels of leadership with group collective efficacy and (b) their mediating role between self- and collective efficacy. Moreover, both perceptions of the immediate supervisor and group collective efficacy displayed a strong relationship with job satisfaction. Perceptions of top management and group collective efficacy were related to organizational commitment. These results suggest ways to enhance group collective efficacy beliefs.