上下级关系与职业主动行为之间的倒U型关系——基于跨边界视角

Drawing from boundary theory, we examine the impact of supervisor−subordinate guanxi (SSG) on proactive career behavior, while exploring the mediating effect of career intrusion and moderating roles of occupational future time perspective and organizational support for employee development. We propose that the relationship between SSG and proactive career behavior follows an inverted U-shape. Specifically, high levels of occupational future time perspective and organizational support encourage employees to prioritize their personal career boundaries, which amplifies the negative impact of overly close SSG on their career development via career intrusion. To investigate the impact of SSG on employee proactive career behavior, we conducted three empirical studies. Study 1 examines the direct relationship between SSG and proactive career behavior, revealing an inverted U-shaped association that highlights the potential downsides of overly strong guanxi. Study 2 explores the boundary conditions of this relationship by testing the moderating effects of occupational future time perspective and organizational support for employee development. Building on these findings, Study 3 integrates career intrusion as a mediating mechanism and further validates the overall model. Through three studies, we find that: (1) a significant inverted U-shaped relationship exists between SSG and proactive career behavior; (2) a significant U-shaped relationship exists between SSG and career intrusion; (3) when occupational future time perspective and organizational support are higher, employees tend to experience higher career intrusion and reduce proactive career behavior in response to overly close SSG in order to protect their career autonomy, thus strengthening the inverted U-shape; (4) when occupational future time perspective and organizational support are lower, employees are less likely to experience career intrusion and tend to increase proactive career behavior to reciprocate their leaders, which weakens the inverted U-shaped relationship between SSG and proactive career behavior. This research advances the literature by investigating the complex relationship between SSG and proactive career behavior from the cross-boundary perspective, exploring the mediating role of career intrusion and revealing how occupational future time perspective and organizational support serve as boundary conditions in this dynamic. The findings provide new insights into understanding the influence of SSG on career development, particularly within the Chinese cultural context, and have important theoretical and practical implications for scholars and practitioners alike.