Frontline disruptive leadership and new generation employees’ innovative behaviour in China: the moderating role of emotional intelligence

Abstract

This study examines the moderating mediation effect of frontline disruptive leadership on Chinese new generation employees’ innovative behaviour – from the dual perspective of ‘Resource revenue’ and ‘Resource loss’ vis-a-vis the ‘Conservation of Resources’ theory. Data were collected from a sample of 215 Chinese new generation employees and their frontline supervisors, using a longitudinal pairing design, in labour-intensive enterprises. Results indicate that first, frontline disruptive leadership influenced negatively new generation employees’ innovative behaviour via psychological capital; second, emotional intelligence negatively moderated the effect of frontline disruptive leadership on new generation employees’ psychological capital; third, the mediation of psychological capital between frontline disruptive leadership and new generation employees’ innovative behaviour was also negatively moderated by emotional intelligence. This study provides evidence for strengthening Chinese new generation employees’ emotion-management and controlling the disruptive behaviour of frontline disruptive leadership, so as to promote the enhanced innovative performance of new generation employees in China.