Ambivalent bosses: An examination of supervisor expressed emotional ambivalence on subordinate task engagement

Supervisors often have to manage conflicting and contradictory demands in increasingly dynamic work environments. In the process of doing so, they may express emotional ambivalence observed by subordinates. Drawing on emotions as social information (EASI) theory and research on unpredictability and...

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Main Authors: LIM, Jia Hui, TAI, Kenneth, KOUCHAKI, Maryam
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Language:English
Published: Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University 2021
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Online Access:https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/lkcsb_research/6734
https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/context/lkcsb_research/article/7733/viewcontent/Ambivalent_boses_av_2021.pdf
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spelling sg-smu-ink.lkcsb_research-77332024-05-31T06:59:21Z Ambivalent bosses: An examination of supervisor expressed emotional ambivalence on subordinate task engagement LIM, Jia Hui TAI, Kenneth KOUCHAKI, Maryam Supervisors often have to manage conflicting and contradictory demands in increasingly dynamic work environments. In the process of doing so, they may express emotional ambivalence observed by subordinates. Drawing on emotions as social information (EASI) theory and research on unpredictability and stress, we examine when and why supervisor expressed emotional ambivalence influence subordinate outcomes. In two studies, we find that supervisor expressed emotional ambivalence is indirectly related to subordinate task engagement via supervisor unpredictability (Studies 1 and 2). In addition, supervisor unpredictability and anticipated stress serially mediate the effect of supervisor expressed emotional ambivalence on task engagement (Studies 3 and 4). Furthermore, the target of supervisor expressed emotional ambivalence moderates this indirect effect, such that the negative indirect effect is stronger for a subordinate when supervisor expressed emotional ambivalence is directed toward him/her as opposed to another subordinate (Study 4). We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of our findings. 2021-07-01T07:00:00Z text application/pdf https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/lkcsb_research/6734 info:doi/10.1016/j.obhdp.2021.05.001 https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/context/lkcsb_research/article/7733/viewcontent/Ambivalent_boses_av_2021.pdf http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business eng Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University Emotions Emotional ambivalence Unpredictability Anticipated stress Task engagement Target of expressed emotional ambivalence Human Resources Management Organizational Behavior and Theory
institution Singapore Management University
building SMU Libraries
continent Asia
country Singapore
Singapore
content_provider SMU Libraries
collection InK@SMU
language English
topic Emotions
Emotional ambivalence
Unpredictability
Anticipated stress
Task engagement
Target of expressed emotional ambivalence
Human Resources Management
Organizational Behavior and Theory
spellingShingle Emotions
Emotional ambivalence
Unpredictability
Anticipated stress
Task engagement
Target of expressed emotional ambivalence
Human Resources Management
Organizational Behavior and Theory
LIM, Jia Hui
TAI, Kenneth
KOUCHAKI, Maryam
Ambivalent bosses: An examination of supervisor expressed emotional ambivalence on subordinate task engagement
description Supervisors often have to manage conflicting and contradictory demands in increasingly dynamic work environments. In the process of doing so, they may express emotional ambivalence observed by subordinates. Drawing on emotions as social information (EASI) theory and research on unpredictability and stress, we examine when and why supervisor expressed emotional ambivalence influence subordinate outcomes. In two studies, we find that supervisor expressed emotional ambivalence is indirectly related to subordinate task engagement via supervisor unpredictability (Studies 1 and 2). In addition, supervisor unpredictability and anticipated stress serially mediate the effect of supervisor expressed emotional ambivalence on task engagement (Studies 3 and 4). Furthermore, the target of supervisor expressed emotional ambivalence moderates this indirect effect, such that the negative indirect effect is stronger for a subordinate when supervisor expressed emotional ambivalence is directed toward him/her as opposed to another subordinate (Study 4). We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of our findings.
format text
author LIM, Jia Hui
TAI, Kenneth
KOUCHAKI, Maryam
author_facet LIM, Jia Hui
TAI, Kenneth
KOUCHAKI, Maryam
author_sort LIM, Jia Hui
title Ambivalent bosses: An examination of supervisor expressed emotional ambivalence on subordinate task engagement
title_short Ambivalent bosses: An examination of supervisor expressed emotional ambivalence on subordinate task engagement
title_full Ambivalent bosses: An examination of supervisor expressed emotional ambivalence on subordinate task engagement
title_fullStr Ambivalent bosses: An examination of supervisor expressed emotional ambivalence on subordinate task engagement
title_full_unstemmed Ambivalent bosses: An examination of supervisor expressed emotional ambivalence on subordinate task engagement
title_sort ambivalent bosses: an examination of supervisor expressed emotional ambivalence on subordinate task engagement
publisher Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University
publishDate 2021
url https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/lkcsb_research/6734
https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/context/lkcsb_research/article/7733/viewcontent/Ambivalent_boses_av_2021.pdf
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