Emotional Intelligence, Interpersonal Trust, and Perceived Organizational Support among Cross-Sector Executives: Evidence from Thailand: -

Ntapat Worapongpat

Authors

Ntapat Worapongpat Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Mahasarakham Rajabhat University and Eastern Institute of Technology Suvarnabhumi (EIT)

Keywords:

Emotional intelligence, interpersonal trust, perceived organizational support, Social Exchange Theory, cross-sector executives, Thailand

Abstract

In increasingly complex organizational environments in Thailand, executives working across public, private, and civil society sectors face substantial emotional and relational demands that influence their perceptions of organizational support. Drawing on Social Exchange Theory (SET), this study examines how emotional intelligence (EI) contributes to perceived organizational support (POS) through relational exchange processes. Specifically, it investigates the mediating role of interpersonal trust in explaining the relationship between emotional intelligence and perceived organizational support among executives operating in diverse organizational settings. Using a quantitative cross-sectional research design, data were collected from executives representing multiple sectors in Thailand and analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings reveal a significant positive relationship between emotional intelligence and perceived organizational support. Interpersonal trust was found to be a strong and statistically significant mediator, indicating that emotionally intelligent executives are more capable of developing trust-based relationships, which subsequently enhance perceptions of organizational support. Furthermore, demographic variables, including age, gender, and professional experience, did not significantly affect perceived organizational support.This study extends Social Exchange Theory by empirically demonstrating the relational mechanism through which emotional intelligence generates organizational outcomes. By identifying interpersonal trust as a key mediating process, the study contributes to the literature on emotional intelligence, interpersonal trust, perceived organizational support, and leadership in multi-sector organizational contexts. Practically, the findings highlight the importance of fostering emotionally intelligent and trust-oriented leadership to strengthen organizational support, improve collaborative relationships, and enhance organizational resilience in complex institutional environments.

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