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Why Good Employees Do Bad Things: The Link between Pro-Environmental Behavior and Workplace Deviance

Author

Listed:
  • Zhenglin Zhang

    (School of Management, Xi’an Polytechnic University, Xi’an 710043, China)

  • Haiqing Shi

    (School of Management, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China)

  • Taiwen Feng

    (School of Economics & Management, Harbin Institute of Technology (Weihai), Weihai 264209, China)

Abstract

Despite the significance of pro-environmental behavior (PEB) in the workplace, most of the existing studies have neglected its negative work outcomes. Drawing upon moral licensing theory and cognitive dissonance theory, we construct a conceptual model of the influence mechanism of employees’ PEB (i.e., public-sphere PEB, private-sphere PEB) on workplace deviance through psychological entitlement, and the moderating effect of rationalization of workplace deviance on the relationship between psychological entitlement and workplace deviance. Using two-stage survey data from 216 employees in China, we performed hierarchical regression analysis and structural equation modeling method to test our hypotheses. Our findings reveal that public-sphere PEB positively affects psychological entitlement, while private-sphere PEB negatively affects psychological entitlement. Psychological entitlement further positively affects workplace deviance. In addition, rationalization of workplace deviance strengthens the positive impact of psychological entitlement on workplace deviance. This study offers novel insights into the dark side of PEB literature by exploring the PEB–workplace deviance relationship. This study also contributes to managerial implications of how PEB leads to workplace deviance and how to address this issue.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhenglin Zhang & Haiqing Shi & Taiwen Feng, 2022. "Why Good Employees Do Bad Things: The Link between Pro-Environmental Behavior and Workplace Deviance," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-16, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:22:p:15284-:d:977500
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Shenjiang Mo & Junqi Shi, 2017. "Linking Ethical Leadership to Employee Burnout, Workplace Deviance and Performance: Testing the Mediating Roles of Trust in Leader and Surface Acting," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 144(2), pages 293-303, August.
    2. Hong Tian & Danni Suo, 2021. "The Trickle-Down Effect of Responsible Leadership on Employees’ Pro-Environmental Behaviors: Evidence from the Hotel Industry in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(21), pages 1-17, November.
    3. Faye V. McDonald, 2014. "Developing an Integrated Conceptual Framework of Pro-Environmental Behavior in the Workplace through Synthesis of the Current Literature," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 4(3), pages 1-28, August.
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    Cited by:

    1. Hongfeng Sun & Chang Liu, 2023. "Employee Stock Ownership Plans and Corporate Environmental Performance: Evidence from China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(2), pages 1-19, January.

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