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International journal of psychology : Journal international de psychologie
Dec, 2019;54 (6): 766-774.

Why and when does job satisfaction promote unethical pro-organizational behaviours? Testing a moderated mediation model.

Kai Dou, Yushuai Chen, Junming Lu, Jingjing Li, Yujie Wang
Author Information
  1. Kai Dou: School of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China.
  2. Yushuai Chen: Department of Applied Psychology, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, Guangzhou, China.
  3. Junming Lu: Faculty of Social and Public Administration, Guangdong Baiyun University, Guangzhou, China.
  4. Jingjing Li: School of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China.
  5. Yujie Wang: School of Marxism, Guangdong Industry Polytechnic, Guangzhou, China.
PMID: 30238509 DOI: 10.1002/ijop.12528

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between job satisfaction and unethical pro-organizational behaviours (UPB) by testing a moderated mediation model that focused on how employees' belongingness mediates the relationship between job satisfaction and UPB and how corporate ethical values moderate this mediated relationship. Our investigation included 369 employees from different organizations in Southeast China. The regression analysis revealed that job satisfaction positively influences UPB through belongingness. In addition, a moderated regression analysis indicated that low corporate ethical values strengthen not only the effect of belongingness on UPB but also the indirect effect of job satisfaction on UPB. These findings deepen our understanding of UPB by showing that individuals with a high level of job satisfaction are more likely to engage in UPB through belongingness when corporate ethical values are low. Finally, the theoretical and managerial implications of these results are discussed.

Keywords

Belongingness Corporate ethical values Job satisfaction Unethical pro-organizational behaviour

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Grants

  1. 17YJCZH040/MOE (Ministry of Education in China)
  2. GD16YXL01/The 13th "Five-year" Plan of Philosophy and Social Science of Guangdong Province
  3. 2017GGXJK001/The Characteristic Innovation Project of Guangdong Province Office of Education
  4. KJRW001/Philosophy and Social Science Project of Guangdong Industry Polytechnic
  5. YB201707/Guangzhou University's training program for excellent new-recruited doctors
  6. 31671153/National Natural Science Foundation of China

MeSH Term

Adult
Female
Humans
Job Satisfaction
Male
Organizational Culture
Social Perception
Journal Article

Word Cloud

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