The Buffering Effects of Subordinates’ Forgiveness and Communication Openness on Abusive Supervision and Voice Behavior

Abusive supervision is a type of dysfunctional leadership that fosters continuous verbal or nonverbal infractions on subordinates and undoubtedly negatively impacts various work outcomes. Past literature has explored the underlying rules of how this form of destructive leadership influences employees’ negative working attitudes. However, research focusing on exploring factors that buffer abusive supervision’s harmful effects on voice behavior is relatively scarce. Distinctively, this study seeks to examine under a lens the process through which abusive supervision will harm voice behavior while taking into account emotional exhaustion as a mediator. According to the conservation of resources theory, we propose a cross-domain buffering approach of the negative effect of abusive supervision on voice behavior by considering subordinates’ forgiveness and communication openness acting as the moderators. We test the hypotheses by analyzing 430 sample data from an enterprise in Zhejiang Province, China, using Mplus and SPSS software. The results reveal that emotional exhaustion plays a mediating role in the path analysis of abusive supervision and voice behavior. Moreover, subordinates’ forgiveness and communication openness negatively moderate the mediation path. We enrich current literature by investigating the mechanism of abusive supervision and the impact of this kind of dysfunctional leadership on voice behavior and how to minimize the negative effects. The suggestions proposed can be referred to by practitioners and researchers in establishing a positive working environment.

Profiles of Maladministration in Higher Education

Maladministration is the performance of leadership relative to the considerable mismanagement of official functions centering on conduct described as incompetent, but not illegal. Understandings of maladministration in the literature are extended through portraits of everyday acts of maladministration within university schools and colleges of education. These are meant to complement the existing research on various psychologies of dysfunctional leadership through the specific lens of day-to-day leadership actions. In this article, an examination of organizational symptoms of maladministration is offered along with its overall impact on organizational culture. For purposes of this article, maladministration is defined as the performance of leaders relative to the considerable mismanagement of official functions that centers on conduct described as incompetent, but not illegal. Specific portraits intended to deconstruct maladministrators in their everyday efforts are described. Then, concluding thoughts outline a set of diagnostic tools and advice for those looking to navigate their careers around and even transcend leaders who are guilty of maladminstrative practice. Like the disciplines of medicine and the law, leadership is a professional endeavor built on translating bodies of research, professional skill sets, and dispositions into daily practice. As with other professions, the struggle to define the difference between appropriate practice and substandard work is challenging. Arguably, more attention in the literature has been given to examining the hallmarks of skilled leadership rather than the contours of malpractice. A term used in various global contexts to reference the failed execution of leadership responsibilities is maladministration. For purposes of this discussion, maladministration is defined as the performance of leaders relative to the considerable mismanagement of official functions that centers on conduct described as incompetent, but not illegal. This article extends understandings of maladministration by presenting portraits of everyday maladministration within university schools and colleges of education. Understandings of maladministration in the literature are extended through portraits of everyday acts of maladministration within university schools and colleges of education. These are meant to complement the existing research on various psychologies of dysfunctional leadership through the specific lens of day-to-day leadership actions. This article begins with an examination of organizational symptoms of maladministration along with its overall impact on organizational culture. Next, specific portraits intended to deconstruct maladministrators in their everyday efforts are outlined. The concluding discussion outlines a set of diagnostic tools and advice for those looking to navigate their careers around and even transcend leaders who are guilty of maladminstrative practice.