Multifoci effects of injustice on counterproductive work behaviors and the moderating roles of symbolization and victim sensitivity |
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| Authors: | James J Lavelle Christopher M Harris Deborah E Rupp David N Herda Randall F Young M Blake Hargrove Meghan Ann Thornton‐Lugo Gary C McMahan |
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| Institution: | 1. College of Business Administration, Department of Management, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, Texas, U.S.A.;2. School of Management, Texas Woman's University, Denton, Texas, U.S.A.;3. Department of Psychological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S.A.;4. Department of Accounting, Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, Louisiana, U.S.A.;5. Department of Accounting, Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas, U.S.A.;6. John L. Grove College of Business, Department of Management, Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania, Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.;7. Department of Management, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, U.S.A. |
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| Abstract: | Past research suggests that employees, in response to workplace experiences, selectively engage in targeted counterproductive work behaviors (CWBs). Taking a retributive justice and target similarity perspective, we predict that employee perceptions of unfairness from the organization uniquely predict CWB specifically targeted at the organization whereas employee perceptions of supervisory unfairness uniquely predict CWB specifically targeted at the supervisor. We further hypothesized that moral identity‐symbolization would strengthen these target‐similar relationships. Finally, drawing from the sensitivity to mean intentions model, we hypothesized that victim sensitivity would not only strengthen these target‐similar relationships but also lead to cross‐foci effects of multifoci fairness perceptions on targets of CWB. Results from 3 field studies of full‐time employees provided support for most of our hypothesized relationships. |
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| Keywords: | counterproductive work behavior moral identity organizational justice victim sensitivity |
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