How Managing Up Fuels Doctoral Students' Work Engagement: The Roles of Passion and Motivation

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Thursday 2:15 pm - Gold 1
  In Roundtable Session: Student motivation and academic achievement

Abstract

Managing up is linked to greater work engagement in professional settings but remains underexplored in higher education. Drawing on Self-Determination Theory and the Dualistic Model of Passion, this study examines the relationship between managing up and doctoral students’ work engagement, focusing on the mediating role of passion and moderating effects of motivation. Survey data from 355 doctoral students across ten Chinese universities show that managing up positively predicts work engagement, mediated by both harmonious and obsessive passion. Intrinsic and extrinsic motivations significantly moderate the effects of managing up on the two types of passion. Findings underscore the value of managing up as a proactive academic strategy and provide implications for higher education leaders seeking to foster student engagement and professional development.

Authors

• Yutong Liu, Southeast University

• Mingyu Li, Buckinghamshire New University

• Xin Zhang, Zhejiang University of Finance & Economics