A multigroup SEM analysis of the antecedents and moderating influence of culture on workplace deviance behavior

Abstract

PurposeAntecedents and outcomes of workplace deviance have been studied over the past few decades but there is still a lack of research from an organizational climate, witness and cultural point of view. Theoretical considerations for the present research are based on the social cognitive theory perspective where the authors expect employees's involvement in workplace destructive deviance would depend on their organizational climate perception, witness behavior and cultural orientation.Design/methodology/approachA total of 987 participants from India (N = 404) and USA (N = 583) completed an online questionnaire, and multi-group structural equation modeling analysis was conducted to test the hypothesized model.FindingsAcross cultural groups, higher collectivism is associated with lower engagement in workplace deviance. Furthermore, employees' higher intervening witness behavior is associated with lower destructive deviant behaviors when employees showed higher endorsement of collectivism in India (not USA). However, employees' higher self-serving witness behavior is associated with higher destructive deviant behaviors. Interestingly, employees with higher endorsement of individualism associated with organizational climate are more likely to engage in destructive deviance.Originality/valueThe main originality of this study is to further increase the understanding of the relationship between organizational climate, witness behavior (self-serving and intervening behavior) and workplace deviance (organizational and interpersonal destructive deviance) considering the role of employees' cultural orientation (individualism vs collectivism).

Why does leadership non-contingent punishment lead to bystander workplace deviance behavior? – Dual path perspective of cognition and affection

“…The specific manifestations are slow work, theft, corruption, tardiness, abuse of colleagues, slander, spreading rumors, sexual harassment, etc (Narayanan and Moon, 2023). Studies have proved that workplace deviance behavior generally exists in organizations, which is not only very unfavorable to employees' own career development but also has a tangible or intangible negative impact on the organization (Kluemper et al, 2015;Ferris et al, 2012).…”

“…It refers to the behavior of organization members who subjectively and deliberately deviate from or violate the organization’s policies, systems and norms, and cause damage to the property and interests of the organization or organization members (Hendy et al ., 2019). The specific manifestations are slow work, theft, corruption, tardiness, abuse of colleagues, slander, spreading rumors, sexual harassment, etc (Narayanan and Moon, 2023). Studies have proved that workplace deviance behavior generally exists in organizations, which is not only very unfavorable to employees’ own career development but also has a tangible or intangible negative impact on the organization (Kluemper et al ., 2015; Ferris et al ., 2012).…”

“…The former is an individual’s continuous negative cognitive bias related to work (Querstret and Cropley, 2012), and the latter is an individual’s subjective perception and emotional experience after the organization fails to fully perform the psychological contract (Gervasi et al ., 2023). To some extent, negative cognition and affection can lead to individual deviance in work behavior in the workplace (Ifeanyichukwu et al ., 2022; Narayanan and Moon, 2023), that is workplace deviance behavior.…”

Do inconsistent mental models impact performance? Moderating effects of managerial interpretation and practice sets

“…Inconsistent mental models are a result of team members' divergent understandings of team goals, tasks, and relationships, which can develop when members work in different contexts and locations, have diverse working hours, and experience different team cultures or supervisors (Narayanan and Moon, 2022 ). “Deviant cognition” is defined as a perceptional departure from organizational goals and norms, leading to inconsistent mental models of the team's goals and norms.…”