The role of top-level supportive leadership: A multilevel, trickle-down, moderating effects test in Chinese hospitality and tourism firms

Abstract

This study explores and tests the role of top-level supportive leadership on both individual and group members in hospitality and tourism firms, examining the trickle-down model of top-level supportive leadership through not only middle-level supportive leadership, but group cohesion and also moderation of top-level supportive leadership on both middle-level supportive leadership–service quality and group cohesion–service quality relationships, which extend and enrich the trickle-down model of leadership. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to assess a sample of 2009 employee–supervisor pairs across 112 departments in 35 Chinese hospitality and tourism firms. The results suggest that top-level supportive leadership relates positively to employees’ service quality, which trickles down through middle-level supportive leadership, excepting group cohesion; top-level supportive leadership strengthens the positive effect of middle-level supportive leadership on employee service quality, triggering positive effects of group cohesion.