Unveiling the path to employee performance excellence: visionary leadership behavior, vision commitment and organization resource support

Purpose

Drawing on goal setting theory (GST), this study explores the relationship between visionary leadership behavior (VLB) and employee performance, along with the mediating role of vision commitment and the moderating role of organization resource support.

Design/methodology/approach

We conducted two studies to test hypotheses. Study 1 and Study 2 collected data from 212 and 204 full-time employees and their leaders, respectively. The data were analyzed using hierarchical regression and bootstrapping technique.

Findings

We found that VLB is positively related to employee vision commitment and vision commitment mediates the effect of VLB on employee performance. Organization resource support moderates the effect of vision commitment on employee performance and the indirect effect of VLB on employee performance via vision commitment, such that the two effects are stronger when organization resource support is high.

Originality/value

First, this study reveals the mediating role of vision commitment in the relationships between VLB and employee performance. Second, this study explores the moderating role of organization resource support in the relationship between VLB and employee performance. Third, this study enriches the theoretical perspective of VLB research and expands the application scope of GST.