How Does Paternalistic Leadership Enhance Civil Servants’ Public Service Motivation? The Mediating Mechanism of Trust in Leader

• Published date: 01 October 2023
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1177/00953997231186994
• Author: Qing Huang,Huaxing Liu
• Date: 01 October 2023
• Subject Matter: Articles

https://doi.org/10.1177/00953997231186994

Administration & Society

2023, Vol. 55(9) 1680 –1709

© The Author(s) 2023

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DOI: 10.1177/00953997231186994

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Article

How Does Paternalistic

Leadership Enhance

Civil Servants’ Public

Service Motivation? The

Mediating Mechanism of

Trust in Leader

Qing Huang1 and Huaxing Liu1

Abstract

The field of public leadership studies has witnessed limited research on

paternalistic leadership (PL) and its impact on civil servants. The present

study draws upon a questionnaire survey of 2,064 Chinese civil servants

to explore the impact of administrative leaders’ PL styles on civil servants’

public service motivation (PSM) and the mediating mechanism that underlies

its effects. When PL is exercised in a benevolent or moral style, it intensifies

subordinates’ PSM. But authoritarian behavior, whether used separately, or

in combination with another style (as in benevolent-authoritarian, moral-

authoritarian or benevolent-moral-authoritarian leadership), showed

an insignificant effect on PSM. In addition, trust in leader mediates the

relationship between benevolent, moral and AL styles and subordinates’ PSM.

Our findings suggest that even in an authoritarian-oriented society such as

China, the authoritarian variant of PL is increasingly losing its influence, and

moral and benevolent leadership have become more important in modern

organizations, and should be the primary leadership strategies employed by

government leaders.

1Shandong University, Qingdao, China

Corresponding Author:

Huaxing Liu, Centre for Quality of Life and Public Policy Research, Institute of State

Governance, School of Political Science and Public Administration, Shandong University, No.

72 Bin Hai Road, Jimo District, Qingdao, Shandong 266237, China.

Email: HXL152819@163.com

1186994AAS0010.1177/00953997231186994Administration & SocietyHuang and Liu

research-article2023

Huang and Liu 1681

Keywords

paternalistic leadership, public service motivation, trust in leader, civil

servants

Introduction

Research into leadership in the public sector has gained increasing attention

from researchers and policy makers since the late 1990s, due to widespread

pressure generated by market reforms and the claims of a “leadership shift”

in the public sector (Oberfield, 2014). Existing work focuses primarily on

leadership approaches that are rooted in democratic societies, such as trans-

formational and transactional leadership. Relatively less is known about the

influence of those leadership styles inherent in authoritarian cultures, such

as paternalistic leadership (PL) (Nyhan, 2000, p. 88; see also Wart, 2013).

Although originating from a different cultural background, PL strategies,

such as the exhibition of personalized concern, intimacy forging and role

modeling, hold significant interest for international leadership research

(Chou et al., 2015).

This research focuses on PL, which is characterized by the rapport and

reciprocity between father- or parent-like administrative leaders and their

grateful subordinates (Khuwaja et al., 2020). Drawing upon a survey of 2,064

civil servants in China, we examine the process by which the administrative

leader’s paternalistic leadership style affects subordinates’ workplace moti-

vations. In specific, we look at how three dimensions of paternalistic leader-

ship (authoritarian, benevolent and moral leadership) influence public

servants’ PSM, and whether trust in leader explains the influence of each

dimension.

Examining the relationship between PL and PSM is timely, as it corre-

sponds with the debate on what informs effective administrative leadership

(Wart, 2013). Existing literature on PL and its outcomes is scarce and con-

tains opposing views. While some authors predict a negative impact from PL

on subordinates’ psychological health and performance, due to the strict con-

trol it entails (Colella et al., 2005), others have reported evidence that PL

contributes positively to civil servants’ prosocial spirit, organizational com-

mitment, work efficiency and satisfaction (see e.g., He et al., 2019). By

exploring PL’s attitudinal outcomes, this research addresses that debate and

answers the question of whether PL is effective in motivating civil servants

and cultivating their pro-social trust attitudes.

This research also contributes to understanding how PL transmits its influ-

ence on PSM through the mechanism of trust. It provides evidence for the