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Threatened by your stars? A multi-method research investigating the negative upward influence of star employees on immediate supervisors

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Listed:
  • Xiao, Jincen
  • Wei, Jing
  • Cheng, Bao
  • Wang, Yingjian

Abstract

In recent years, scholars and practitioners have shared an increasing interest in exploring the impact of star employees. However, most focus has been on the association between star employees and non-stars, teams, or organizations, with little work concerning the potential upward influence of star employees on their immediate supervisors. Combining star employee literature and the cognitive appraisal theory of stress, this research develops a mediated moderation model to examine when and how star employees trigger supervisors’ self-interested behaviors. Results from a scenario-based experiment and a time-lagged multi-source field survey (204 star–supervisor dyads) revealed that supervisors are likely to be threatened by star employees when they feel a low level of trust from their managers. Consequently, supervisors tend to engage in self-interested behaviors as a means of self-protection. These findings enrich existing star employee literature by focusing on the star–supervisor dyad and provide insight into related management practices.

Suggested Citation

  • Xiao, Jincen & Wei, Jing & Cheng, Bao & Wang, Yingjian, 2025. "Threatened by your stars? A multi-method research investigating the negative upward influence of star employees on immediate supervisors," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 190(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:190:y:2025:i:c:s0148296325000694
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2025.115246
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    References listed on IDEAS

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