Employee indifference and inaction against abusive supervision: An explanation based on organizational identification theory
ISSN: 0142-5455
Article publication date: 6 July 2018
Issue publication date: 13 September 2018
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate how part-time waiters perceive and respond to abusive supervision by the owner-manager of a small restaurant.
Design/methodology/approach
An ethnographic approach was used to collect data. One of the authors worked as a participant observer for three months. In addition, 13 interviews and three focus group discussions were conducted.
Findings
Data analysis showed how neutral identification based on a primary identity—liu xu sheng (overseas student)—overshadows employees’ occupational identity (waiter), which helps waiters to cope with abusive supervision.
Originality/value
Development and application of the concept of neutral organizational identification orientation encourages emotional suppression and reframing, leading to waiters’ indifference and acquiescence in abusive supervision. Implications are drawn for theory and the practice of managing part-time and temporary workers.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This work was supported by the Young Scientists Fund of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos 71602163 and 71702043), and Young Scientists Fund from the Ministry of Education of Humanities and Social Sciences Project in China (Grant No. 16YJC630171). In addition, thanks to Sanne Frandsen for helpful comments on a previous draft.
Citation
Zhang, Y. and Frenkel, S.J. (2018), "Employee indifference and inaction against abusive supervision: An explanation based on organizational identification theory", Employee Relations, Vol. 40 No. 6, pp. 981-998. https://doi.org/10.1108/ER-07-2017-0169
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited