The recursive relationship between abusive supervision and service performance
Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
ISSN: 2514-9792
Article publication date: 12 August 2020
Issue publication date: 25 January 2021
Abstract
Purpose
Drawing upon the conservation of resources theory, this study investigates the recursive relationship between abusive supervision and service performance and the moderating role of coworker support in this recursive relationship.
Design/methodology/approach
This study tests the model using moderated cross-lagged analysis with a three-wave longitudinal data from 146 hospitality employees who were working and studying in hospitality.
Findings
Results support the recursive relationship: abusive supervision impairs service performance and employees with low service performance provoke abusive supervision. Coworker support mitigates the lagged effect between abusive supervision and service performance and that between service performance and abusive supervision.
Practical implications
Hospitality organizations should have a zero-tolerance policy toward abusive supervision. Employees who would like to avoid abuse should improve their service performance and seek coworker support.
Originality/value
This study uses a novel analytical approach to examine the recursive relationship between abusive supervision and service performance. It provides evidence on the bidirectional causal relationship and sheds light on how employees can avoid getting abused. This study is also one of the first studies that examine the moderating role of coworker support on the effect of service performance on abusive supervision.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The author thank Mr. Black Mok and Ms. Toffee Shum for support on this research. I acknowledge the editor, Dr. Fevzi Okumus and three anonymous reviewers for their comments and input.
Citation
Shum, C. (2021), "The recursive relationship between abusive supervision and service performance", Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights, Vol. 4 No. 1, pp. 18-34. https://doi.org/10.1108/JHTI-03-2020-0032
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited