Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-t5tsf Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-03T08:32:30.821Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Psychological Contract Breach, Negative Reciprocity, and Abusive Supervision: The Mediated Effect of Organizational Identification

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 February 2015

Feng Wei  and
Steven Si
Feng Wei
Affiliation:
Tongji University, China
Steven Si
Affiliation:
Tongji University, China Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania, USA
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Previous research has indicated that abusive supervision negatively influences various organizational outcomes. However, the antecedents and psychological mechanisms of abusive supervision are not well understood, especially in the Chinese context. In this study, we propose and test a mediated moderation model to explore the interactive effect of psychological contract breach and negative reciprocity belief on abusive supervision, and the mediating effect of organizational identification. Using a sample of 268 dyads of employees and their immediate supervisors (N = 536) from six companies and two industries in China, we find that when supervisors experience breaches in psychological contract they are likely to increase abusive behaviours toward subordinates, and that the positive association is stronger the more the supervisor holds negative reciprocity beliefs. Moreover, the results indicate that organizational identification mediates the joint effect of psychological contract breach and negative reciprocity belief on abusive supervision. Theoretical and practical implications, limitations, and future research directions are discussed.

Keywords

abusive supervisionnegative reciprocity belieforganizational identificationpsychological contract breach管理欺凌负向互惠信念组织认同心理契约破裂
Type
Regular Articles
Information
Management and Organization Review , Volume 9 , Issue 3: Special Issue Knowledge Search, Spillovers, and Creation in Emerging Markets , November 2013 , pp. 541 - 561
Copyright
Copyright © International Association for Chinese Management Research 2013

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Aryee, S., Chen, Z. X., Sun, L. Y., & Debrah, Y. A. 2007. Antecedents and outcomes of abusive supervision: Test of a trickle-down model. Journal of Applied Psychology, 92: 191–201.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Aryee, S., Sun, L. Y., Chen, Z. X., & Debrah, Y. A. 2008. Abusive supervision and contextual performance: The mediating role of emotional exhaustion and the moderating role of work unit structure. Management and Organization Review, 4(3): 393–411.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ashforth, B. E. 2001. Role transitions in organizational life: An identity-based perspective. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.Google Scholar
Ashforth, B. E., & Mael, F. 1989. Social identity and the organization. Academy of Management Review, 14: 20–39.Google Scholar
Bentler, P. M., & Bonnett, D. G. 1990. Significance tests and goodness of fit in the analysis of covariance structures. Psychological Bulletin, 88: 588–606.Google Scholar
Bergami, M., & Bagozzi, R. P. 2000. Self-categorization, affective commitment, and group self-esteem as distinct aspects of social identity in the organization. British Journal of Social Psychology, 39: 555–577.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bhattacharya, C. B., & Elsbach, K. D. 2002. Us versus them: The role of organizational identification and disidentification in social marketing initiatives. Journal of Public Policy and Marketing, 21: 26–36.Google Scholar
Blau, P. 1964. Exchange and power in social life. New York: Wiley.Google Scholar
Bollen, K. A. 1989. Structural equations with latent variables. New York: Wiley.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bond, M. H., & Muethel, M. 2012. Doing better research on organizational behaviour in Chinese cultural settings: Suggestions from the notebooks of two fellow-travellers. Management and Organization Review, 8(2): 455–475.Google Scholar
Brislin, R. W. 1980. Translation and content analysis of oral and written materials. In Triandis, H. C. & Berry, J. W. (Eds.), Handbook of cross-cultural psychology (Vol. 2): 389–444. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.Google Scholar
Cheung, G. W., & Rensvold, R. B. 2002. Evaluating goodness-of-fit indexes for testing measurement invariance. Structural Equation Modeling, 9(2): 233–255.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cialdini, R. B., Green, B. L., & Rusch, A. J. 1992. When tactical pronouncements of change become real change: The case of reciprocal persuasion. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 63: 30–40.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cohen, J., Cohen, P., West, S. G., & Aiken, L. S. 2003. Applied multiple regression/correlation analysis for the behavioral sciences (3rd ed.). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.Google Scholar
Cropanzano, R., & Mitchell, M. S. 2005. Social exchange theory: An interdisciplinary review. Journal of Management, 31: 874–900.Google Scholar
Dansereau, F., Graen, G., & Haga, W.J. 1975. A vertical dyad linkage approach to leadership within formal organizations. Organizational Behavior and Human Performance, 13: 46–78.Google Scholar
De Jong, J., Schalk, R., & De Cuyper, N. 2009. Balanced versus unbalanced psychological contracts in temporary and permanent employment: Associations with employee attitudes. Management and Organization Review, 5(3): 329–351.Google Scholar
Dollard, J., Doob, L. W., Miller, N., Mowrer, O. H., & Sears, R. R. 1939. Frustration and aggression. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Duffy, M. K., Ganster, D., & Pagon, M. 2002. Social undermining in the workplace. Academy of Management Journal, 45: 331–351.Google Scholar
Dukerich, J. M., Kramer, R., & McLean Parks, J. 1998. The dark side of organizational identification. In Whetten, D. A. & Godfrey, P. C. (Eds.), Identity in organizations: 245-256. Thousand Oak, CA: Sage.Google Scholar
Eisenberger, R., Lynch, P., & Aselage, J. 2004. Who takes the most revenge? Individual differences in negative reciprocity norm endorsement. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 30: 787–799.Google Scholar
Eisenberger, R., Lynch, P., Aselage, J., & Rohdieck, S. 2004. Who takes the most revenge? Individual differences in negative reciprocity norm endorsement. Personality & Social Psychology Bulletin, 30: 789–799.Google Scholar
Elsbach, K. D., & Bhattacharya, C. B. 2001. Defining who you are by what you're not: A study of organizational disidentification and the NRA. Organization Science, 12: 393–413.Google Scholar
Farh, J. L., Hackctt, R., & Liang, J. 2007. Individual-level cultural values as moderators of perceived organizational support-employee outcome relationships in China: Comparing the effects of power distance and traditionality. Academy of Management Journal, 50: 715–729.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gouldner, A. 1960. The norm of reciprocity. American Sociological Review, 25: 161–178.Google Scholar
Graen, G. B., & Scandura, T. A. 1987. Towards a psychology of dyadic organizing. In Cummings, L. L. & Staw, B. M. (Eds.), Research in organizational behavior: 175-208. Greenwich, CT: JAI Press.Google Scholar
Grandey, A. A., Kern, J., & Frone, M. 2007. Verbal abuse from outsiders versus insiders: Comparing frequency, impact on emotional exhaustion, and the role of emotional labor. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 12: 63–79.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hayes, A. F. 2013. An introduction to mediation, moderation, and conditional process analysis: A regression-based approach. New York: Guilford Press.Google Scholar
Helm, B., Bonoma, T. V., & Tedeschi, J. T. 1972. Reciprocity for harm done. Journal of Social Psychology, 87: 89–98.Google Scholar
Hofstede, G. 1980. Culture's consequences: International differences in work related values. SAGE: London.Google Scholar
Hofstede, G. 1993. Cultural constraints in management theories. The Academy of Management Executives, 7(1): 81–94.Google Scholar
Hoobler, J., & Brass, D. 2006. Abusive supervision and family undermining as displaced aggression. Journal of Applied Psychology, 91:1125–1133.Google Scholar
Hoyle, R. H., & Panter, A. T. 1995. Writing about structural equation models. In Hoyle, R. H. (Eds.), Structural equation modeling: Concepts, issues, and applications: 158-176. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.Google Scholar
Hwang, K. 1987. Face and favor: The Chinese power game. American Journal of Sociology, 92(4): 944–974.Google Scholar
Kreiner, G. E., & Ashforth, B. E. 2004. Evidence toward an expanded model of organizational identification. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 25: 1–27.Google Scholar
Li, P., Bai, Y., & Xi, Y. 2012. The contextual antecedents of organizational trust: A multidimensional cross-level analysis. Management and Organization Review, 8(2): 371–396.Google Scholar
Li, P., Leung, K., Chen, C., & Luo, J. 2012. Indigenous research on Chinese management: What and how. Management and Organization Review, 8(1): 7–24.Google Scholar
Liu, J., Wu, L. Z., & Lin, Y. 2009. Coping with abusive supervision: Mechanisms of ingratiation and political skill. Nankai Business Review, 12(2): 52–58. (In Chinese.)Google Scholar
Mael, F. A., & Ashforth, B. 1992. Alumni and their alma mater: A partial test of the reformulated model of organizational identification. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 13: 103–123.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Marcus-Newhall, A., Pederscn, W. C., Carlson, M., & Miller, N. 2000. Displaced aggression is alive and well: A meta-analytic review. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 78: 670–689.Google Scholar
Miller, N. E. 1941. The frustration-aggression hypothesis. Psychological Review, 48: 337–342.Google Scholar
Mitchell, M. S., & Ambrose, M. L. 2007. Abusive supervision and workplace deviance and the moderating effects of negative reciprocity beliefs. Journal of Applied Psychology, 92:1159–1168.Google Scholar
Pan, Y., Rowney, J. A., & Peterson, M. F. 2012. The structure of Chinese cultural traditions: An empirical study of business employees in China. Management and Organization Review, 8(1): 77–95.Google Scholar
Park, S. H., & Luo, Y. 2001. Guanxi and organizational dynamics: Organizational networking in Chinese firms. Strategic Management Journal, 22(5): 455–477.Google Scholar
Perugini, M., Gallucci, M., Presaghi, F., & Ercolani, A. P. 2003. The personal norm of reciprocity. European Journal of Personality, 17: 251–283.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pirola-Merlo, A., Härtel, C., Mann, L., & Hirst, G. 2002. How leaders influence the impact of affective events on team climate and performance in R & D teams. The Leadership Quarterly, 13(5): 561–581.Google Scholar
Pratt, M. G. 1998. To be or not to be: Central questions in organizational identification. In Whetten, D. A. & Godfrey, P. C. (Eds.), Identity in organizations: 171-207. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.Google Scholar
Preacher, K.J., Rucker, D. D., & Hayes, A. F. 2007. Assessing moderated mediation hypotheses: Theory, methods, and prescriptions. Multivariate Behavioral Research, 42: 185–227.Google Scholar
Robinson, S. R., & Morrison, E. W. 2000. The development of psychological contract breach and violation: A longitudinal study. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 21: 525–546.Google Scholar
Robinson, S. L., & Rousseau, D. M. 1994. Violating the psychological contract: Not the exception but the norm. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 15: 245–259.Google Scholar
Rosenzweig, P. M. 1994. When can management science research be generalized internationally? Management Science, 40(1): 28–39.Google Scholar
Rousseau, D. M., & Fried, Y. 2001. Location, location, location: Contextualizing organizational research. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 22: 1–13.Google Scholar
Schumacker, R. E., & Lomax, R. G. 1996. A beginner's guide to structural equation modeling. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.Google Scholar
Scott, C., Corman, S., & Cheney, G. 1998. Development of a structurational model of identification in the organization. Communication Theory, 8(3): 298–336.Google Scholar
Scott, S. G. 1997. Social identification effects in product and process development teams. Journal of Engineering Technology and Management, 14: 97–127.Google Scholar
Shih, C., & Chen, S. 2011. The social dilemma perspective on psychological contract fulfilment and organizational citizenship behaviour. Management and Organization Review, 7(1): 125–151.Google Scholar
Si, X. S., Wei, F., & Li, Y. 2008. The effect of organizational psychological contract violation on managers' exit, voice, loyalty and neglect in the Chinese context. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 5: 932–944.Google Scholar
Tekleab, A. G., Takeuchi, R., & Taylor, M. S. 2005. Extending the chain of relationships among organizational justice, social exchange, and employee reactions: The role of contract violations. Academy of Management Journal, 48: 146–157.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tepper, B. J. 2000. Consequences of abusive supervision. Academy of ManagementJournal, 43: 178–190.Google Scholar
Tepper, B. J., Duffy, M. K., Hoobler, J. M., & Ensley, M. D. 2004. Moderators of the relationship between coworkers' organizational citizenship behavior and fellow employees' attitudes. Journal of Applied Psychology, 89: 455–465.Google Scholar
Tepper, B. J., Duffy, M. K., Henle, C. A., & Lambert, L. S. 2006. Procedural injustice, victim precipitation, and abusive supervision. Personnel Psychology, 59: 101–123.Google Scholar
Tepper, B. J., Carr, J. C., Breaux, D. M., Geider, S., Hu, C., & Hua, W. 2009. Abusive supervision, intentions to quit, and employees' workplace deviance: A power/dependence analysis. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 109: 156–167.Google Scholar
Tepper, B. J., Moss, S. E., & Duffy, M. K. 2011. Predictors of abusive supervision: Supervisor perceptions of deep-level dissimilarity, relationship conflict, and subordinate performance. Academy of Management Journal, 54: 279–294.Google Scholar
Tsui, A. S. 2006. Contextualization in Chinese management research. Management and Organization Review, 2(1): 1–13.Google Scholar
Tsui, A. S. 2009. Editor's introduction – autonomy of inquiry: Shaping the future of emerging scientific communities. Management and Organization Review, 5(1): 1–14.Google Scholar
Van der Vegt, G. S., & Bunderson, J. S. 2005. Learning and performance in multidisciplinary teams: The importance of collective team identification. Academy of Management Journal, 48: 532–547.Google Scholar
Wei, F., & Si, S. 2013. Tit for tat? Abusive supervision and counterproductive work behaviors: The moderating effects of locus of control and perceived mobility. Asia Pacific Journal of Management, 30(1): 281–296.Google Scholar
Weiss, H. M., & Cropanzano, R. 1996. Affective events theory: A theoretical discussion of the structure, causes and consequences of affective experiences at work. In Staw, B. M. & Cummings, L. L. (Eds.), Research in organizational behavior: An annual series of analytical essays and critical reviews: 1-74. Oxford: Elsevier Science/JAI Press.Google Scholar
Wu, M., Huang, X., Li, C., & Liu, W. 2012. Perceived interactional justice and trust-in-supcrvisor as mediators for paternalistic leadership. Management and Organization Review, 8(1): 97–121.Google Scholar
Zellars, K. L., Tepper, B. J., & Duffy, M. K. 2002. Abusive supervision and subordinates’ organizational citizenship behavior. Journal of Applied Psychology, 86: 1068–1076.Google Scholar
Zhao, H., Wayne, S. J., Glibkowski, B. C., & Bravo, J. 2007. The impact of psychological contract breach on work-related outcomes: A meta-analysis. Personnel Psychology, 60: 647–680.Google Scholar