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Safety-Related Moral Disengagement in Response to Job Insecurity: Counterintuitive Effects of Perceived Organizational and Supervisor Support

Author

Listed:
  • Tahira M. Probst

    (Washington State University Vancouver)

  • Laura Petitta

    (Sapienza University of Rome)

  • Claudio Barbaranelli

    (Sapienza University of Rome)

  • Christopher Austin

    (Washington State University Vancouver)

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine individual and organizational antecedents and consequences of safety-related moral disengagement. Using Conservation of Resources theory, social exchange theory, and psychological contract breach as a theoretical foundation, this study tested the proposition that higher job insecurity is associated with greater levels of subsequent safety-related moral disengagement, which in turn is related to reduced safety performance. Moreover, we examined whether perceived organizational and supervisor support buffered or intensified the impact of job insecurity on moral disengagement. Using a two-wave lagged design, anonymous survey data collected from N = 389 working adults in the U.S. supported the hypothesized moderated mediation model. Specifically, the conditional indirect effects of job insecurity on safety performance via moral disengagement were intensified as levels of perceived organizational and supervisor support increased. These results suggest that the threat of job insecurity may prompt employee moral disengagement; this effect is even stronger among employees who perceived higher levels of organizational and supervisor support. We interpret these counterintuitive findings in light of increasingly insecure contemporary work arrangements and how these may give rise to potentially unethical safety-related decision making and behavior.

Suggested Citation

  • Tahira M. Probst & Laura Petitta & Claudio Barbaranelli & Christopher Austin, 2020. "Safety-Related Moral Disengagement in Response to Job Insecurity: Counterintuitive Effects of Perceived Organizational and Supervisor Support," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 162(2), pages 343-358, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:162:y:2020:i:2:d:10.1007_s10551-018-4002-3
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-018-4002-3
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Nasib Dar & Muhammad Usman & Jin Cheng & Usman Ghani, 2023. "Social Undermining at the Workplace: How Religious Faith Encourages Employees Who are Aware of Their Social Undermining Behaviors to Express More Guilt and Perform Better," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 187(2), pages 371-383, October.
    3. Tuna Karatepe, 2022. "Do Qualitative and Quantitative Job Insecurity Influence Hotel Employees’ Green Work Outcomes?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-17, June.
    4. Zahoor, Nadia & Donbesuur, Francis & Christofi, Michael & Miri, Domnan, 2022. "Technological innovation and employee psychological well-being: The moderating role of employee learning orientation and perceived organizational support," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 179(C).
    5. Shike Li & Kriti Jain & Konstantina Tzini, 2022. "When Supervisor Support Backfires: The Link Between Perceived Supervisor Support and Unethical Pro-supervisor Behavior," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 179(1), pages 133-151, August.

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