Does a paternalistic leader facilitate voice and creative performance? Evidence from Ghana

Abstract

Drawing upon the conservation of resource theory and leadership contingency model, this study investigated how and when employee voice under three paternalistic leadership dimensions of benevolence, morality, and authoritarianism relates to creativity. The sample included matched survey responses obtained from 82 leaders and 324 subordinates from manufacturing companies in Ghana. Structural equation modelling and regression analysis results revealed benevolent leadership to foster creativity, while authoritarian leadership stymied creativity. The relationship between benevolent/ authoritarian leadership and creativity was stronger with promotive voice with power distance but, not with prohibitive voice. Our findings extend social exchange, a self-based concept perspective, to conservation of resource theory in order to enhance understanding of paternalistic leadership potential to affect employees’ perception of resource gain or loss with voice expression.

Keywords:

• creativity
• paternalistic leadership
• power distance orientation
• promotive voice
• prohibitive voice

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Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge the financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos 72072019, 71472024 & 71533002), and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, China (Grant No. ZYGX2020FRJH012). We also acknowledge the financial support of Centre for West African Studies (CWAS) of University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC).