Linking corporate social responsibility to employee green behavior: Mediation through supervisor–subordinate guanxi

This study was conducted with the purpose of understanding the link between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and employee green behavior. Particularly, we explored the mediating role of supervisor–subordinate guanxi in this relationship. Participants were 327 part-time Master of Business Administration students at three universities in China, who completed a survey. Structural equation modeling was used to test the hypotheses. Results revealed that there was a positive and significant relationship between employees’ perceived CSR and their green behavior, and that supervisor–subordinate guanxi partially mediated this relationship. This study extends research on the social outcomes of CSR by shedding new light on the psychological mechanisms connecting it with employee green behavior. The findings will help managers of organizations to better understand how CSR facilitates employee green behavior.