The effects of subordinates’ use of upward influence tactics on their supervisors’ job performance evaluations in Saudi Arabia: the significance of loyalty

Abstract

Most research examining the effects of subordinates’ use of upward influence tactics on supervisor job performance evaluations has been conducted in Western countries. In these contexts, it has been suggested that upward influence tactics bias supervisor ratings because they affect the quality of the relationship between supervisors and subordinates. This has primarily been explained in terms of supervisor liking. We suggest instead, that the particular cultural context in Saudi Arabia emphasises loyalty as the primary indicator of relationship quality. Based on data we obtained from 389 matched supervisor–subordinate dyads in Saudi Arabia, we found that five upward influence tactics; rational persuasion, ingratiation, self-promotion, coalition and upward appeal had indirect effects on supervisor job performance ratings through subordinate loyalty. Our findings suggest cultural contexts can emphasise differing aspects of relational quality between supervisors and subordinates that potentially explain bias in supervisor job performance evaluations.