Kang, F; Shi, Y; Li, J and Zhang, H (2025) Exploring the impacts of leader anger expressions on employee boundary-spanning behavior in construction projects. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, 32(11), pp. 7217-7235. ISSN 0969-9988
Abstract
Here it is:
Purpose: Despite the increasing importance of boundary-spanning behaviors in construction projects, the research on how leader anger expressions impact employees' boundary-spanning behaviors remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the impact of leader anger expressions on employees' boundary-spanning behaviors in construction projects while exploring the mediating effect of work hope and the moderating effect of power distance orientation through the lens of social information processing theory. Design/methodology/approach: The empirical data were collected from a questionnaire survey of 235 employees in construction projects, and the hypotheses were tested using the PROCESS program developed by Hayes. Findings: This study demonstrated that leader anger expressions negatively affect employees' work hope, and work hope mediates the relationship between leader anger expressions and employees' boundary-spanning behaviors. Besides, the stronger the employees' power distance orientation, the stronger the negative relationship between leader anger expressions and employees' work hope, and the above mediating effect was also stronger. Research limitations/implications: The use of cross-sectional data was unable to entirely infer a causal relationship between leader anger expressions and employees' boundary-spanning behaviors. Additionally, the reliance on self-reported data inevitably introduced some common method bias. Originality/value: Applying social information processing theory, this paper enriches the discourse on factors influencing employees' boundary-spanning behaviors in construction projects. It also offers valuable insights for leaders in construction projects to manage their teams effectively.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | boundary-spanning behaviors; leader anger expressions; power distance orientation; work hope |
| Index terms: | methodology, bias, program, construction project, questionnaire, survey, information processing |
| Subjects: | research methods, production management, software systems, probability and distributions, data science, data collection methods |
| Topics: | Project Management, Digital Applications, Research Practice |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PTEA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here