Opportunity, job pressure and deviant workplace behaviour: does neutralisation mediate the relationship? A study of faculty members in public universities in Nigeria

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of the present study was twofold: (1) to examine the direct effect of the dimensions of opportunity (i.e. ethical climate and institutional policy) and dimensions of job pressure (i.e. workload and work pressure) on workplace deviance (i.e. organisational and interpersonal deviance) and (2) to assess the mediation of neutralisation in the relationship between the dimensions of opportunity, job pressure and workplace deviance.Design/methodology/approachThe present study drew from the fraud triangle theory (FTT; Cressey, 1950) and the theory of neutralisation (Sykes and Matza, 1957) to achieve the research objectives. Survey data from 356 full-time faculty members in Nigerian public universities were collected. Partial least square-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was employed to analyse the data.FindingsThe results indicated that opportunity and job pressure significantly affected workplace deviance. As expected, neutralisation was found to mediate the negative relationship between ethical climate and interpersonal deviance and the positive relationship between workload, work pressure and interpersonal deviance. Contrary to expectation, neutralisation did not mediate the relationship between opportunity, pressure and organisational deviance.Research limitations/implicationsThe sample was drawn from academics in public universities and the cross-sectional nature of this study means that the findings have limited generalisations.Practical implicationsThis study offers insights into the management of Nigerian public universities on the need to curb workplace deviance amongst faculty members. This study recommends that the management improve the work environment by enhancing the ethical climate and institutional policies and reviewing the existing workload that may constitute pressure to the faculty members.Originality/valueThe present study provides empirical support for the fraud triangle theory and theory of neutralisation to explain workplace deviance.

Job Stress among Auditor: Antecedents and Consequences to Dysfunctional Behavior

“…The various forms of dysfunctional behavior, namely premature sign-off, under-reporting time and altering (replacing) audit procedures (Donnelly et al, 2003). The results support previous findings that job stress positively affects dysfunctional behavior (Adeoti et al, 2020;Rustiarini, 2014).…”

“…Auditors will react according to the stimulus of the work environment. The higher the job pressure, the higher the auditor's tendency to engage in negative behavior (Adeoti et al, 2020;Phillips-Wren & Adya, 2020). As a result, job stress contributes to reducing audit quality and even triggers the auditor's involvement in dysfunctional behavior (Amiruddin, 2019;Rustiarini, 2014;Smith & Emerson, 2017).…”

“…It can conclude that dysfunctional behavior is a negative consequence of an auditor's job stress. Previous findings prove that job pressure increases individual involvement in deviant behavior (Adeoti et al, 2020;Rustiarini, 2014). Thus, the fifth hypothesis is formulated: H5: Job stress has a positive effect on dysfunctional auditor behavior.…”

“…Auditors that cannot control job stress will react according to the stimulus of their work environment (Phillips-Wren & Adya, 2020). The higher of demands, the higher of auditor's tendency to engage in harmful behavior (Adeoti et al, 2020). As a result, job stress contributes to reducing audit quality, even the involvement of auditors in dysfunctional behavior (Amiruddin, 2019;Rustiarini, 2014;Smith & Emerson, 2017).…”

Links, fit or sacrifice: job embeddedness and intention to quit among Generation Y

“…Social exchange theory helps to explain the relationship between an employee and an organization (Eldor and Vigoda-Gadot, 2016; Adeoti et al , 2020). The authors cite Coyle-Shapiro and Shore (2007) to identify three fundamental aspects of social exchange: relationship, reciprocity and exchange.…”