Feeling Guilty and Entitled: Paradoxical Consequences of Unethical Pro-organizational Behavior
Journal of Business Ethics:1-19 (forthcoming)
Abstract
Given the paradoxical nature of unethical pro-organizational behavior, that it simultaneously involves sincere extraordinary efforts to help the organization but violates ethical norms, we examined its paradoxical psychological and behavioral outcomes in the workplace. We hypothesized that UPB generates simultaneous but conflicting feelings: On one hand, guilt and on the other, psychological entitlement. In turn, these conflicting psychological states differentially affect two conflicting behaviors. Feelings of guilt motivate customer service behavior but reduce self-serving cheating, whereas psychological entitlement does the opposite. We further hypothesized that moral identity centrality moderates the paradoxical effects of UPB. Data from three studies using experimental and field methodologies demonstrated support for all hypotheses. We discuss the theoretical and managerial implications of these findings.My notes
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Blind Spots: Why We Fail to Do What's Right and What to Do About It.Max H. Bazerman & Ann E. Tenbrunsel - 2011 - Princeton University Press.
Beyond Moral Reasoning: A Review of Moral Identity Research and Its Implications for Business Ethics.Dan Freeman - 2008 - Business Ethics Quarterly 18 (4):513-540.
Beyond Moral Reasoning: A Review of Moral Identity Research and Its Implications for Business Ethics. [REVIEW]Ruodan Shao, Karl Aquino & Dan Freeman - 2008 - Business Ethics Quarterly 18 (4):513-540.
Unethical Pro-organizational Behavior: A Systematic Review and Future Research Agenda.Madhurima Mishra, Koustab Ghosh & Dheeraj Sharma - 2022 - Journal of Business Ethics 179 (1):63-87.