Effects of Organizational Embeddedness on Unethical Pro-organizational Behavior: Roles of Perceived Status and Ethical L
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ORIGINAL PAPER
Effects of Organizational Embeddedness on Unethical Pro‑organizational Behavior: Roles of Perceived Status and Ethical Leadership Junghyun Lee1 · Se‑Hyung Oh2 · Sanghee Park3 Received: 27 February 2020 / Accepted: 26 October 2020 © Springer Nature B.V. 2020
Abstract This study examines why individuals who are deeply embedded in the organization may engage in unethical pro-organizational behavior (UPB). Drawing from social identity theory and self-affirmation theory, we propose that deeply embedded employees may engage in UPB as a way of promoting or maintaining their status in the organization. We further propose that this positive relationship between organizational embeddedness and UPB, mediated through status perceptions, is stronger for employees working under managers who display low levels of ethical leadership. Using data gathered in a two-wave survey from 224 working adults, the results of the study lend support for the hypothesized relationships and remained significant even after controlling for affective commitment. The study advances our understanding of both contextual and individual factors motivating employees to engage in UPB and the boundary conditions under which UPB can be reduced. Keywords Unethical pro-organizational behavior · Organizational embeddedness · Status perceptions · Ethical leadership Organizational embeddedness represents a constellation of influences that keep people in their current organizations (Mitchell et al. 2001). When employees have numerous formal or informal ties to their organization, perceive high levels of compatibility with their organization, and/or recognize psychological, social, or material costs of leaving their organization, these individuals are highly embedded in their workplace (Halbesleben and Wheeler 2008; Lee et al. 2014). Employees who are embedded in the organization have been normally conceived as desirable workers, who * Sanghee Park [email protected] Junghyun Lee [email protected] Se‑Hyung Oh [email protected] 1
College of Business, University of Michigan–Dearborn, Fairlane Center South, 19000 Hubbard Drive, Dearborn, MI 48126, USA
2
School of Business Administration, Hanyang University, 222 Wangsimni‑ro, Seongdong‑gu, Seoul 04763, South Korea
3
College of Business Administration, Hongik University, 94 Wausan‑ro, Mapo‑gu, Seoul 04066, South Korea
deliver good performance, help the organization function smoothly, and are willing to stay (Halbesleben and Wheeler 2008; Lee et al. 2014; Mitchell et al. 2001). Recent evidence, however, has shown that high levels of organizational embeddedness are associated with negative outcomes, including ethical misconduct and counterproductive workplace behavior (e.g., Collins and Mossholder 2017; Ghosh 2017). One form of such behavior is unethical pro-organizational behavior (UPB hereafter), defined as “actions intended to promote the effective functioning of the organization and violate core societal values, mores, laws, or standards of proper conduct” (Umphress and Bingham 201
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