RT Article
T1 Paved with good intentions: self-regulation breakdown after altruistic ethical transgression
JF Journal of business ethics
VO 186
IS 2
SP 385
OP 405
A1 Zhang, Hongyu
A1 Liu, Xin Lucy
A1 Cai, Yahua
A1 Sun, Xiuli
LA English
PB Springer Science + Business Media B. V
YR 2023
UL https://www.ixtheo.de/Record/1855025752
AB Unethical pro-organizational behavior (UPB) is unethical behavior driven by an intention to assist an organization. This study is one of the first attempts to examine the consequences of UPB. We argue that such types of behaviors can induce failure in self-regulation and thereby give rise to counterproductive work behavior (CWB). Based on self-regulation theory, we theorize that the breakdown in three fundamental mechanisms (i.e., moral standards, monitoring, and discipline) explains the link between UPB and CWB. Moreover, moral identity internalization can temper these breakdown processes such that employees with higher levels of moral identity internalization are less likely to experience moral disengagement, workplace entitlement, or self-control depleting after enacting UPB, and therefore, will engage in less CWB. We conducted a 7-day experience sampling study of 95 financial service employees in a Chinese bank to test our theoretical model. The results indicated that transgressions committed with the intention of helping the organization would ultimately harm the organization, especially for those with lower moral identity internalization. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
K1 Counterproductive work behavior (CWB)
K1 Moral Disengagement
K1 Moral identity internalization
K1 Psychological entitlement
K1 Self-control depletion
K1 Self-regulation theory
K1 Unethical pro-organizational behavior (UPB)
K1 Aufsatz in Zeitschrift
DO 10.1007/s10551-022-05185-z