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The malevolent side of organizational identification: unraveling the impact of psychological entitlement and manipulative personality on unethical work behaviors

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Abstract

This study expands the behavioral ethics literature by unraveling how and when the malevolent side of organizational identification promotes unethical work behaviors (i.e., pro-organizational and self-interested). Specifically, we examine whether employees’ engagement in unethical pro-organizational behaviors may be caused by overidentifying with their organization, which yields a sense of psychological entitlement that fosters careerist orientation and counterproductive work behaviors. We also hypothesize that psychological entitlement has an indirect effect contingent on employees’ manipulative personality. We used a multi-wave, two-source research design and collected data from 306 employees and their peers in Pakistan’s service sector. The data support the mediated effect between organizational identification and unethical pro-organizational behaviors through enhanced feelings of psychological entitlement. We also found that the impact of organizational identification on psychological entitlement was more pronounced among employees with higher manipulative personality scores.

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Notes

  1. Although the dark triad personality is a technical term and a common label for defining Machiavellianism, Psychopathy, and Narcissism personality types, we hereby refer the “dark triad” as “manipulative personality.” On the recommendations of the Associate Editor, we deviate from the mainstream literature and use manipulative personality instead of using the term “dark triad.” We concur with the Associate Editor that as social scientists, we need to avoid using biased or racist language that perpetuates racial stereotypes. Past studies also consider researchers to be more careful while using racist language and labels (Adams & Salter, 2011; Hill, 2008; Moore, 1976, 2006).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Management Sciences, International Islamic University, Sector H 10, Islamabad, Pakistan

    Saima Naseer, Fauzia Syed & Shadab Qazi

  2. Goodman School of Business, Brock University, 500 Glenridge Ave., St. Catharines, ON, L2S 3A1, Canada

    Dave Bouckenooghe

  3. College of Business and Economics, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, UAE

    Abdul Karim Khan

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  1. Saima Naseer
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  2. Dave Bouckenooghe
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  3. Fauzia Syed
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  4. Abdul Karim Khan
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Correspondence to Saima Naseer.

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Naseer, S., Bouckenooghe, D., Syed, F. et al. The malevolent side of organizational identification: unraveling the impact of psychological entitlement and manipulative personality on unethical work behaviors. J Bus Psychol 35, 333–346 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10869-019-09623-0

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