Managerial Pro-Social Rule Breaking in the Chinese Organizational Context: Conceptualization, Scale Development, and Double-Edged Sword Effect on Employees’ Sustainable Organizational Identification

Abstract

Managerial Pro-Social Rule Breaking (MPSRB) is a prevalent leadership behavior in China, characterized by conflict between favor and rule. Despite emerging interest in this behavior, two theoretical questions remain unsolved. First, its definition, dimensions, and measurement in the Chinese context are still lacking or improper; second, its double-edged sword effect on employees’ attitude is rarely empirically examined. This paper conducts three studies to solve these questions. In study 1, based on an analysis of the Chinese traditional culture, three dimensions of MPSRB (i.e., benevolence-based, pragmatic-based, and justice-based) were identified. In study 2, a scale of MPSRB containing 12 items was developed through an interview, preliminary, and formal questionnaire survey. In study 3, employees’ sustainable organizational identification perception (SOIDP) was studied as the dependent variable, to analyze and verify the double-edged sword effect of MPSRB by hierarchical regression and structural equation modeling (SEM) methods on the data gathered through the three stages from 380 employees. The results show that the three dimensions of MPSRB have a direct positive impact on employees’ SOIDP and, simultaneously, they have an indirect negative impact through the mediating role of procedural justice perception.

Inclusive Leadership and Subordinates’ Pro-Social Rule Breaking in the Workplace: Mediating Role of Self-Efficacy and Moderating Role of Employee Relations Climate

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“…This application of morality possibly permits subordinates to commit mistakes, including intentionally breaking the organizational policies. 72 …”

The lens of Yin-Yang philosophy: the influence of paradoxical leadership and emotional intelligence on nurses’ organizational identification and turnover intention

“…Last, but not least, managing paradoxes result from different structural and individual demands, which may lead to conflicts in the health-care organization (Lv et al , 2020), and may increase the perception of unfair or injustice results (Lv et al , 2020). Paradoxical leadership could form both stability and flexibility that assists organizations to manage and integrate multidimensional demands in a changing environment.…”

“…The leader’s effectiveness will be contingent on how appropriate the leadership style compares to the specific situation at a certain moment (Rehman et al , 2020). Nevertheless, these two opposite mechanisms under different and confront conditions, demands could conflict with each other and either separate or ignore the contradiction (Lv et al , 2020). This kind of switching leadership style could be unpredictable and complex (Zhang and Han, 2019).…”

Investigating Inclusive Leadership and Pro-Social Rule Breaking in Hospitality Industry: Important Role of Psychological Safety and Leadership Identification

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