A Study on the Cross-level Influence of Leaders’ Zhongyong Thinking on Employees’ Creative Deviance Behavior: Focusing on the Employees’ Organization-based Self-esteem and Superior-subordinate Guanxi

This study explores the intrinsic mechanisms that the influence of leaders' zhongyong thinking on employees' creative deviance behavior through a multi-level regression analysis method. 52 enterprises in Hebei, China, were used as the research target, and relevant data were collected through questionnaire survey. The empirical study shows that the leaders' zhongyong thinking has a significant positive influence on employees' creative deviance behavior, and employees' organization-based self-esteem plays a partly mediating role between the leaders' zhongyong thinking and employees' creative deviance behavior. Meanwhile, superior-subordinate guanxi positively moderates the influence of employees' organization-based self-esteem on creative deviance behavior, and further positively moderates the mediating role of employees' organization-based self-esteem. This study provides practical guidance implications for companies to get rid of innovation dilemma and achieve to creative development.