Exploitative leadership and counterproductive work behavior: a discrete emotions approach
ISSN: 0048-3486
Article publication date: 20 February 2023
Issue publication date: 26 February 2024
Abstract
Purpose
Integrating appraisal theories of discrete emotions with the emotion regulation literature, this study aims to explore the relationships between exploitative leadership and certain types of counterproductive workplace behavior (CWB). Besides, this study seeks to examine the mediating roles of discrete emotions (i.e. anger and fear) and the moderating role of cognitive reappraisal within the proposed relationships.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on time-lagged survey data from 440 Chinese employees, this study conducted hierarchical regression analysis and bootstrapping approach to test the hypotheses.
Findings
The results revealed that exploitative leadership was positively related to approach-oriented CWB and avoidance-oriented CWB. In addition, this study found that anger mediated the relationship between exploitative leadership and approach-oriented CWB, whereas fear mediated the relationship between exploitative leadership and avoidance-oriented CWB. Further, cognitive reappraisal buffered the positive effects of exploitative leadership on anger and fear and the indirect effects of exploitative leadership on approach-oriented CWB (via anger) and avoidance-oriented CWB (via fear).
Practical implications
Managers should reduce leaders' exploitation and enhance employees' skills on emotional management and cognitive reappraisal.
Originality/value
First, by verifying the effects of exploitative leadership on both approach-oriented and avoidance-oriented CWB, this study adds to the literature on exploitive leadership and provides a more complete understating of the relationship between exploitative leadership and workplace deviance. Second, this study enriches the understanding of the process through which exploitative leadership affects employees by demonstrating the novel mediating roles of discrete emotions (i.e. anger and fear) through the lens of appraisal theories of discrete emotions. Third, by verifying the moderating role of cognitive reappraisal, this study provides insights into the boundary conditions of the influences of exploitive leadership.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This research was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 72072128 and 72102214).
Citation
Guo, L., Luo, J. and Cheng, K. (2024), "Exploitative leadership and counterproductive work behavior: a discrete emotions approach", Personnel Review, Vol. 53 No. 2, pp. 353-374. https://doi.org/10.1108/PR-02-2021-0131
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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