Shaping teachers' challenge appraisals of organizational transition: the roles of grassroots leadership, peer collaboration, and boundary-spanning experience.
- 1College of Architectural and Engineering, Guangzhou Polytechnic University, Guangzhou, China.
- 2Guangdong University of Finance, School of National Finance, Guangzhou, China.
Abstract
Introduction
Amidst the specialized vocational education reforms, primary-level teaching organizations are evolving into open and adaptive systems. Drawing upon the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model and Cognitive Appraisal Theory, this study examines the psychological mechanisms through which grassroots leadership, peer collaboration, and perceived organizational adaptation relate to teachers' positive cognitive appraisals of transition.Methods
A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 965 vocational college teachers. A moderated mediation model was utilized to test the sequential associations mapping from leadership and collaboration to teachers' cognitive appraisals of transition via organizational adaptation, alongside the potential moderating role of individual boundary-spanning experience (i.e., industry-academy double-qualified experience).Results
The path analysis reveals that grassroots leadership is positively associated with perceived organizational adaptation both directly and sequentially through teacher collaboration. These interrelated resources are concurrently linked to positive cognitive appraisals of transition. Furthermore, the hypothesized moderation effect of boundary-spanning expertise was not statistically supported, indicating that positive structural agility of the organization is universally associated with educators' cognitive appraisals across the cohort.Discussion
The study contributes to work psychology by investigating the concurrent interrelationships of environmental resources during systemic organizational change. It suggests that rather than individual boundary-spanning experience acting as a primary moderating factor, a highly adaptable organizational climate operates as a structurally supportive environment that relates to educators' positive cognitive adjustment.
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BibTeX
@article{jiang2026shaping,
title = {{Shaping teachers' challenge appraisals of organizational transition: the roles of grassroots leadership, peer collaboration, and boundary-spanning experience.}},
author = {Haiying Jiang and Shuo Huang},
journal = {Frontiers in psychology},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1949606},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42908509},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Shaping teachers' challenge appraisals of organizational transition: the roles of grassroots leadership, peer collaboration, and boundary-spanning experience.
AU - Haiying Jiang
AU - Shuo Huang
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/07
JO - Frontiers in psychology
DO - 10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1949606
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42908509
AB - Introduction Amidst the specialized vocational education reforms, primary-level teaching organizations are evolving into open and adaptive systems. Drawing upon the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model and Cognitive Appraisal Theory, this study examines the psychological mechanisms through which grassroots leadership, peer collaboration, and perceived organizational adaptation relate to teachers' positive cognitive appraisals of transition.Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 965 vocational college teachers. A moderated mediation model was utilized to test the sequential associations mapping from leadership and collaboration to teachers' cognitive appraisals of transition via organizational adaptation, alongside the potential moderating role of individual boundary-spanning experience (i.e., industry-academy double-qualified experience).Results The path analysis reveals that grassroots leadership is positively associated with perceived organizational adaptation both directly and sequentially through teacher collaboration. These interrelated resources are concurrently linked to positive cognitive appraisals of transition. Furthermore, the hypothesized moderation effect of boundary-spanning expertise was not statistically supported, indicating that positive structural agility of the organization is universally associated with educators' cognitive appraisals across the cohort.Discussion The study contributes to work psychology by investigating the concurrent interrelationships of environmental resources during systemic organizational change. It suggests that rather than individual boundary-spanning experience acting as a primary moderating factor, a highly adaptable organizational climate operates as a structurally supportive environment that relates to educators' positive cognitive adjustment.
SN - 1664-1078
ER -