scholarly journals The fish rots from the head down: a test of the trickle-down model of abusive supervision

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannah Vivian Osei ◽  
Felicity Asiedu-Appiah ◽  
Perpetual Akosuah Anyimaduah Amoah

Purpose A major paradigm shift focusing on the dark side of leadership has generated lots of concern for organizations as leadership has cascading effects on employees’ behaviour. This study aims to understand negative behaviours in the organization as a system of interrelated interaction initiated from the top which trickles down to employees. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on the theories of social exchange and norms of reciprocity, social learning and displaced aggression, this study models how and when abusive supervision relates to employees’ task performance. The model is empirically tested and extended to cover mediation and moderation processes. Drawing data from 218 bank supervisors and employees, this study uses the structural equation modelling to analyse a trickle-down model of abusive supervision. Findings Results from multi-waved, multi-sourced data indicated a mediating effect on the abusive supervision–performance relationships and provided support for employees’ guilt proneness and emotional dissonance as moderators. Overall, the results provided support for a moderated mediation relationship in the trickle-down model. Originality/value This study provides new knowledge into the potential boundary conditions of employees’ guilt proneness and emotional dissonance in affecting the relationship between abusive supervision, counterproductive work behaviour and task performance.

2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gul Afshan ◽  
Muhammad Kashif ◽  
Damrong Sattayawaksakul ◽  
Pimpa Cheewaprakobkit ◽  
Shanika Wijenayake

Purpose Drawing on the social exchange theory, this study aims to investigate the destructive impact of abusive supervision and supervisor undermining on quiescent silence and turnover intentions among frontline employees. Whether quiescent silence and the desire to seek revenge mediate the path from aggressive supervisory behaviors to turnover intentions is explored. Design/methodology/approach Following a time-lagged design, the authors collected data from 350 frontline banking officers in Thailand by a survey. For data analysis purposes, structural equation modeling procedures are used through Smart partial least square version 3.2.0. Findings Uniquely, findings suggest that abusive supervision does not result in any form of retaliation. Supervisor undermining has a trickle-down effect on the desire to revenge, quiescent silence and turnover intentions. For supervisor undermining, the direct path, as well as mediating roles are supported by data. Practical implications The findings of this study suggests organizational systems should discourage supervisors from undermining the subordinates. There is a need to offer regular training to supervisors. Furthermore, employees should be provided some platforms and the freedom to positively speak at work. Above all, supervisors should be more inspiring which can dilute negative perceptions of abuse. Originality/value The proposed mediation of desire to revenge and quiescent silence is unique to this study. Moreover, the challenge to the traditional trickle-down effects of abusive supervision is a unique intervention in the organizational behavior literature.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Filza Hameed ◽  
Sadia Shaheen ◽  
Bashir Ahmad ◽  
Muhammad Mudassar Anwar ◽  
Muhammad Ahmad-ur-Rehman

PurposeThe successful performance of organizations depends on the smooth working relations between their leaders and employees. Considering the importance of the behaviors of leaders/supervisors, this study intends to explore the bright side of abusive supervision on the performance of trainees in different police colleges in Pakistan.Design/methodology/approachThe data for this study were collected from police colleges and supervisors in Pakistan, and the sample comprised police trainees and their instructors (N = 254 responses from 50 instructors and 254 police trainees). The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling via Amos to test the hypothesized relationships.FindingsResults reveal a positive connection between abusive supervision and the performance of trainees. Moreover, the moderating role of passion for a cause in the relationship between abusive supervision and trainee performance is supported.Research limitations/implicationsDespite its relevance, this study has certain limitations. First, this study was conducted in a specific occupational and cultural context. A comprehensive understanding of the diverse occupational and cultural context considerations can increase this study's value. Second, this study used cross-sectional data for analysis, which hindered us from making causal inferences. For a clear and improved understanding, longitudinal studies can help facilitate the process.Originality/valueThis study intends to explore the bright side of abusive supervision on the performance of trainees in different police colleges in Pakistan. The literature demonstrated the “dark side” of abusive supervision on work-related attitudes and behaviors. However, few studies investigated or explored the “bright side” of abusive supervision.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashish Varma ◽  
Gunjan Malhotra

Purpose This study aims to ascertain the mediating effect of task performance (TP) on the linkage between the psychological empowerment (PE) and job satisfaction (JS) of professional accountants. Design/methodology/approach Primary data was collected through a questionnaire-based survey of 132 professional accountants who were the units of analysis for the study. These accountants were domiciled in 11 Indian cities and worked in both service and manufacturing firms. The data was analyzed using the partial least squares structural equation modeling method. Findings The study found that TP mediated the linkage between PE and JS, although, contrary to observations in developed economies, one of its sub-constructs – competence – displayed no such mediation capability. Counterintuitively, it was empirically observed that the accountants’ gender had no bearing on the mediating effect of TP. Originality/value The study makes three distinct contributions. First, it empirically confirms that the intrinsic motivation theory applies to accountants in the context of operations in emerging markets. Second, the paper contributes to the accounting behavioral literature by observing that competence, as a sub-dimension of the PE construct, does not significantly impact the JS level of accountants. Finally, the study also contributes to the development of sound business practices by confirming that gender differences do not impact the satisfaction levels of accountants in emerging markets.


2020 ◽  
Vol 42 (6) ◽  
pp. 1249-1269 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamed Mousa ◽  
Hiba K. Massoud ◽  
Rami M. Ayoubi

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate whether females have different perceptions of diversity management and workplace happiness compared to their male colleagues. Furthermore, the paper explores whether diversity management perceptions mediate the relationship between workplace happiness and organisational citizenship behaviour.Design/methodology/approachA total of 260 questionnaires from a number of public hospitals in Egypt were analysed using both t-test and Structural Equation Modelling.FindingsWe found that female physicians perceive diversity management policies/protocols more positively than their male colleagues. Moreover, gender has no or little effect on physicians’ perceptions of workplace happiness. We also found that workplace happiness positively affects physicians’ organisational citizenship behaviour, and finally, diversity management practices can mediate the relationship between workplace happiness and physicians’ organisational citizenship behaviour.Practical implicationsWe believe that managers can raise the feeling of workplace happiness among their staff if they maintain some personal relationships with physicians, care about the physicians’ work/life balance, promote after work gatherings, initiate coffee time talks, encourage open communication practices and more.Originality/valueThe paper is based on the argument that although employees might be happy in the workplace through (engagement, job satisfaction, affective commitment), their happiness, however,will unlikely be reflected into a positive organisational citizenship behaviour towards their organisation, except (social exchange theory) they feel or perceive (equity theory) the overall practices of diversity management in that organisation positively. Thus, studying the mediating effect of perceptions towards diversity management is mainly our contribution.


2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 163-176 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Ng

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the influence of perceived external prestige (PEP), perceived organizational support (POS), and organizational inducement (OI) on employee turnover intention (TI) and on the mediation effect of trust in organizations (TOs). Design/methodology/approach – In all, 243 self-administered questionnaires were collected from five service companies in Guangdong, China. The construct validity, the measurement model, and the hypothetical relationship between variables were tested by partial-least-squares structural equation modeling. Findings – The results demonstrate that OI, PEP, and POS tended to increase employees’ trust in their organization and hence to reduce their TI. Practical implications – The findings of this study have implications for managers’ design and implementation of effective human resource management strategies for adults in China. To deal with the serious problem of high employee turnover in China, organizations should implement not only appropriate human resource policy but also practices to improve corporate reputation. Originality/value – This paper extends the research on TI by investigating the impacts of PEP and the mediating effect of TOs in a Chinese context.


2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 1622-1639 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuting Xiao ◽  
Xi Zhang ◽  
Patricia Ordóñez de Pablos

Purpose This study aims to explore the complex relationship between leadership and organizational knowledge sharing by investigating the moderating role of exchange ideology on the relation between transformational leadership in attributed charisma and knowledge sharing and the influence of attributed charisma and knowledge sharing on task performance. The influence of leadership in organizational knowledge sharing process has been gradually highlighted. Design/methodology/approach Based on the review of relevant literature and survey, a structural equation model considering four factors in the model together is now constructed and provides four hypotheses which can be verified. Self-completed questionnaires were collected from 163 students in the context of a graduate class in China. Findings The findings illustrate the relationship between leadership theory and knowledge sharing from a perspective of social exchange theory. In particular, results show that both transformational leadership and knowledge sharing have positive impacts to task performance and for individuals with low exchange ideology the positive influence from attributed charisma to knowledge sharing is stronger. Originality/value This research introduces exchange ideology as a moderator and explains the complex relationship between transformational leadership and knowledge sharing with sufficient proof. Transformational leadership in attributed charisma is more effective to those individuals with low exchange ideology in facilitating their knowledge effort. This paper can be theoretically and practically helpful to researchers and enterprise leaders in organizational knowledge management.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Nisar Khattak ◽  
Peter O'Connor

PurposeUsing the frameworks of social exchange theory (SET) and conservation of resources (COR) Theory, this study examined the influence of servant leadership on employees' performance through the social exchange indicator (trust), and how perceived organizational politics (POP) influences these relationships.Design/methodology/approachSurvey data were collected from 236 supervisor/subordinate dyads in a public sector organization in Pakistan. Structural equation modeling and bootstrapping were used to test the study hypotheses.FindingsServant leadership was found to positively influence employees' task performance and organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs). Further, analysis revealed that trust in leader partially mediated the positive relationship between servant leadership and subordinates' task performance and OCBs. However, although POP moderated the indirect relationship between servant leadership and subordinates' task performance, it did not moderate the indirect relationships between servant leadership and OCBs.Originality/valueThis is one of the first studies to be conducted in the South Asian context, testing the relationship between servant leadership and employee performance through the social exchange indicator (trust) in a political organizational environment. Theoretical contributions, practical implications, study limitations and future research directions are discussed at the end of the study.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pang Kiam Lim ◽  
Kian Yeik Koay ◽  
Wei Ying Chong

PurposeCyberloafing (employees' non-work-related online activities at work) has become a common workplace problem for many organizations. Research investigating the underlying mechanisms and boundary conditions under which abusive supervision influences cyberloafing remains largely underdeveloped. Drawing from social exchange theory and conservation of resources theory, we developed a moderated-mediation model in which emotional exhaustion was theorized as a unique mechanism underlining why employees are more likely to engage in cyberloafing under the supervision of abusive leaders. In addition, we proposed that organizational commitment to be a relevant boundary condition to influence such a relationship.Design/methodology/approachWe collected 255 data from employees working in public listed companies in Malaysia and used partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to analyze the data.FindingsThe results showed that the influence of abusive supervision on cyberloafing through emotional exhaustion is only significant when organizational commitment is low.Originality/valueThis study constructed a moderated-mediation model by introducing the potential mediating effect of emotional exhaustion and the moderating effect of organizational commitment to reveal the mechanism through which abusive supervision related to cyberloafing.


2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yilmaz Akgunduz ◽  
Selcen Seda Turksoy ◽  
Mehmet Alper Nisari

PurposeCompatible with the principles of leader–member exchange (LMX) theory and social exchange theory (SET), the study explores the effect of LMX on job embeddedness and job dedication and the mediating role of employee advocacy.Design/methodology/approachThe data were gathered via a survey at four hotels in Izmir. To test the reliability and validity, 194 valid questionnaires were subjected to confirmatory factor analysis and path analysis. Structural equation modelling was used to test the hypothesized relationships.FindingsThe results show that high quality LMX and employee advocacy increase the hotel employees' job embeddedness and job dedication. In addition, the results show that employee advocacy has a partial mediating effect on the relationships between LMX and job embeddedness, and between LMX and job dedication.Originality/valueAlthough past researches have examined both various determinants of employee job embeddedness and job dedication, and consequences of high-quality LMX, they have ignored a critical factor, which is employee advocacy. This current study addresses this research gap by investigating the interrelations between LMX and job embeddedness, and job advocacy through employee advocacy in hotels. Moreover, this research is the first empirical study that analyzes the relationships between LMX, job embeddedness, job dedication and employee advocacy in the same model. Therefore, this research contributes to hospitality literature by filling this gap.


2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 369-381 ◽  
Author(s):  
Limin Guo ◽  
Hongdan Zhao ◽  
Ken Cheng ◽  
Jinlian Luo

PurposeBased on social exchange theory and research on proactive personality, this study aims to explore the relationship between abusive supervision and unethical pro-organizational behavior (UPB), taking proactive personality as a boundary condition.Design/methodology/approachThis study conducted a two-wave questionnaire survey and used data from 353 Chinese employees of a diversified company to test the research hypotheses.FindingsThe relationship between abusive supervision and UPB varied with proactive personality. Specifically, abusive supervision had an inverted U-shaped effect on UPB when proactive personality was high, while abusive supervision was negatively related to UPB when proactive personality was low.Research limitations/implicationsMore research are encouraged to replicate our study in different cultural contexts. Besides, future research can gather data from dyads (e.g. supervisor–subordinate dyad and coworker–subordinate dyad) so as to increase the objectivity and validity of the data.Practical implicationsManagers should reduce abusive supervision and elevate proactive employees' moral awareness.Social implicationsThis study hopes that the authors’ findings will help practitioners to devote greater attention to managing proactive personality, abusive supervision and UPB in the organization.Originality/valueFirst, this study enriches the abusive supervision literature by identifying UPB as a consequence of abusive supervision. Second, this study provides a better understanding of the coping tactics used to combat abusive supervision. Third, this study uncovers a dark side of proactive personality by verifying the moderating effect of proactive personality.


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