Why do I conform to your ideas?: The role of coworkers' regulatory focus in explaining the influence of zhongyong on harmony voice

Purpose The purpose of this study is to advance and test a new construct, harmony voice. Furthermore, according to the social influence theory, the relationship between zhongyong, an essential Confucian orientation mode and voice behavior, and the moderating role of coworker's regulatory focus (promotion focus and prevention focus) has been examined. Design/methodology/approach A field study has been designed to test our hypotheses. We used samples of 291 employee-coworker dyads from a variety of organizations in China to test this study's hypotheses. Findings The results of this empirical study show that zhongyong is positively related to harmony voice. Coworkers' promotion focus strengthens the positive effect of zhongyong on harmony voice, and coworkers' prevention focus weakens the positive effect of zhongyong on harmony voice. Research limitations/implications Traditionally defined voice and harmony voice might cause different risks to the voicer. However, how and what kinds of risks may be differently caused by these two types of voice behaviors have not been examined in this study. Future empirical research can explore the different effects of traditionally defined voice and harmony voice. Practical implications Managers responsible for managing Chinese employees should notice the difference in some important ways of thinking between Easterners and Westerners. Specifically, zhongyong may direct people to express issues related to work in ways that are different from those of their Western counterparts. Harmony voice can benefit the Chinese organization without disrupting organizational development. Social implications By examining the relationship between zhongyong and harmony voice, we contribute to identifying antecedents of voice by using an emic research perspective. Originality/value We made significant theoretical contributions to voice literature. We developed the construct of harmony voice, and we examined the relationship between zhongyong and voice.