Moving beyond technical competence in 3D printing industry in South Africa: The effect of emotional intelligence and organizational emotional climate in driving job performance

The purpose of this study is to contribute to managerial research in the 3D printing industry in South Africa. Specifically, the study sought to examine the direct and moderating relationships between leader emotional intelligence, leader emotional behaviour, organizational emotional climate, and employee job performance among 3D printing firms in South Africa. The study adopted a deductive research approach and a quantitative research method. Respondents were selected using simple random sampling. Questionnaires served as the data collection instruments. The study's major findings revealed significant positive relationships between leader emotional intelligence and employee job performance; leader emotional intelligence and leader emotional behaviour; leader emotional intelligence and organizational emotional climate; leader emotional behaviour and organizational emotional climate; and finally, organizational emotional climate and employee job performance. Organizational emotional climate mediated the relationship between leader emotional intelligence and employee job performance. The study recommends that the South African 3D printing industry should place increased emphasis on emotional intelligence as a strategic managerial asset that can improve employee job performance. The study's originality lies in its contribution to the limited managerial research in South Africa's 3D printing industry, highlighting the importance of leader emotional intelligence in enhancing employee job performance.