How does council–manager conflict affect managerial turnover intention? The role of job embeddedness and cooperative context

Abstract

Turnover intention is an important yet underexamined concept in local government studies. Although the association between council–manager conflict and managerial turnover intention is well documented, the underlying mechanisms have not yet been elucidated. This study fills this research gap by analysing two variables in the relationship: organizational job embeddedness and cooperative context. Results from partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) reveal that organizational job embeddedness mediates the link between task conflict and managerial turnover intention. The results also indicate that a cooperative context can moderate the negative indirect relationship between council–manager task conflict and managerial turnover intention.