Unpacking the relationship between empowering leadership and service-oriented citizenship behaviors: a multilevel approach

Drawing on empowerment theory, this study examines the effect of empowering leadership on frontline employees’ service-oriented citizenship behaviors and the process by which this effect occurs. The authors conceptualize empowering leadership at two levels: individual level and group level. Using multi- and cross-level modeling based on multi-source data (frontline employees and their supervisors) from a national automobile dealership at two different time points, this study finds that group-level empowering leadership explains unique variance in service-oriented citizenship behaviors above and beyond what is explained by individual-level empowering leadership. Further, psychological empowerment and customer learning climate partially mediate the empowering leadership–service-oriented citizenship behaviors relationship at the individual and group levels, respectively. Finally, the results indicate that a climate for customer learning accentuates the positive effect of psychological empowerment on service-oriented citizenship behaviors. Theoretical and practical implications for improving frontline employee’s service-oriented citizenship behaviors are discussed along with directions for future research.