The Dynamic Role of Emotional Intelligence on the Relationship Between Emotional Labor and Job Satisfaction: A Comparison Study of Public Service in China and South Korea

Today, research on emotional labor in public service has been growing both in China and South Korea; however, few studies have explored the management–performance relationship between countries with similar cultures. This study provides a new case for the comparative public management domain by conducting empirical research on two countries with similar cultures and clarifying the existing literature on the relationship between the dimensions of emotional labor and job satisfaction with emotional intelligence as the mediating role. Samples from public service employees were collected. The findings reveal that, among the dimensions of emotional intelligence, emotional self-regulation emerges as the sole important mediating variable in the relationship between the two countries.