【学术视点】Leader Unethical Pro-Organizational Behavior and Employee Unethical Conduct: Social Learning of Moral Disengagement as a Behavioral Principle

Leader Unethical Pro-Organizational Behavior and Employee Unethical Conduct: Social Learning of Moral Disengagement as a Behavioral Principle

Lian, Huiwen, Huai, M.Y., Farh, J. L., Huang. Jia-Chi, Lee. Cynthia, Chao. Melody M.

Journal of International Business Studies

About the author

Huiwen Lian, University of Kentucky

Mingyun Huai, Tongji University

Jiing-Lih Farh, China Europe International Business School

Jia-Chi Huang, National Chengchi University

Cynthia Lee, Northeastern University

Melody M. Chao, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Keywords

leader unethical pro-organizational behavior; social learning; principle learning; moral disengagement; power distance

Abstract

Unethical behavior in organizations has attracted much attention among researchers, yet we know little about when and why unethical behavior conducted by leaders that is intended to benefit the organization—or leader unethical pro-organizational behavior (UPB)—might translate into employee unethical behavior. Drawing on a social-learning-of-principle perspective, which proposes that people can learn the principles that govern observed behaviors, we propose that employees, especially those with a high-power distance orientation, can abstract and learn a moral disengagement behavioral principle by observing leader UPB. This learned moral disengagement behavioral principle then enables them to engage in unethical behaviors that may be intended to benefit or harm their organizations. In two multiwave field studies with data collected from real estate agents, we found overall support for our theoretical model but the moderating effect of power distance orientation. We discuss some key theoretical and practical implications of these findings.