The effects of supervisor and team on suggestion behaviors of workers in manufacturing setting

Abstract

The suggestion behavior of blue-collar workers is a voluntary action that may contribute to organizational effectiveness. The purpose of this study was to investigate the individual and team level processes of suggestion behavior in relation to the performance management context. At the individual level, we examined the effect of supervisor's performance coaching through workers' justice perception toward performance management. At the team level, the study investigated the effect of supervisor' performance management efficacy as a team factor to the extent to which team-member exchange (TMX) mediates at the team-level on suggestion behavior. To test the research model, data from 138 skilled engineers were collected in 36 teams of working for an automobile manufacturer. The results showed that performance management justice perception fully mediated between performance coaching and suggestion behavior, and TMX at the team level also had a full mediation effect between performance management efficacy and suggestion behavior. Further verification of alternative models has shown that the research model is more compelling. The study identified the effects of immediate superiors and colleagues that were overlooked in the previous study and found that it was necessary to manage the working environment rather than the institutional elements to facilitate the suggestion behavior of field workers. Based on this, the implications, limitations, and future research tasks were presented.