Employees leave managers, not organisations. That is the growing consensus amongst theorists and practitioners in the United States and Europe. But what causes this behaviour? And to what extent is this phenomenon apparent in emerging markets such as China? This study aims to provide some of the answers. In doing so it examines the antecedents and consequences of employees' commitment to line manager in the Peoples' Republic of China. Trust in a line manager was found to be a key factor associated with employee commitment. More specifically, trust in line manager mediates the relationships between interactional justice and commitment to a line manager. Benefits for organisations are also identified, in that commitment to a line manager is also associated with both employees' performance and organisational citizenship behaviour. The paper concludes with some practical tips for managers and organisations wishing to improve relationships between employees and managers in the Peoples' Republic of China (PRC).
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