Managerial Latitude and Customer Stewardship: The Mediating Role of Work Meaningfulness and the Moderating Influence of Political Skill

Abstract

Drawing on the Conservation of Resources theory, this study examines the relationship between managerial latitude and frontline employees’ customer stewardship directly and through their work meaningfulness. Furthermore, the study considers frontline employees’ political skill as a significant boundary condition in the relationship between their supervisors’ managerial latitude and their work meaningfulness. The data were collected from 561 frontline employees across 63 hotels in Pakistan (19 five-star, 23 four-star and 21 three-star) using a time-lagged design, with three rounds conducted 8 weeks apart. The data were analysed using partial least-squares structural equation modelling with the WarpPLS 8.0 package. The findings reveal that managerial latitude has a positive relationship with frontline employees’ customer stewardship, directly and through their meaningful work. The results of this study show that frontline employees’ political skill is an important moderator of the direct relationship between managerial latitude and work meaningfulness. This research provides numerous important theoretical and practical implications for managers and organizations working in the service sector.