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You Abuse and I Criticize: An Ego Depletion and Leader–Member Exchange Examination of Abusive Supervision and Destructive Voice

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  • Jeremy D. Mackey

    (Auburn University)

  • Lei Huang

    (Auburn University)

  • Wei He

    (Nanjing University)

Abstract

We draw from ego depletion and leader–member exchange (i.e., LMX) theories to provide nuanced insight into why abusive supervision is indirectly associated with supervisor-directed destructive voice. A multi-wave, multi-source field study (n = 219) demonstrates evidence that abusive supervision has a positive conditional indirect effect on supervisor-directed destructive voice through subordinates’ relational ego depletion with their supervisors that is stronger for higher LMX differentiation contexts than lower LMX differentiation contexts. We make novel theoretical, empirical, and practical contributions by providing a parsimonious explanation for why relational aspects of supervisory treatment (i.e., abusive supervision and LMX differentiation) drain subordinates’ capacities for controlling their volitional actions during interactions with their supervisors (i.e., relational ego depletion) and how this relationship impacts subordinates’ supervisor-directed destructive voice. Overall, our study extends the application of ego depletion and LMX theories to the examination of abusive supervision and destructive voice in order to meaningfully inform researchers’ attempts to build cohesive streams of research in these areas and practitioners’ attempts to promote ethical workplace environments.

Suggested Citation

  • Jeremy D. Mackey & Lei Huang & Wei He, 2020. "You Abuse and I Criticize: An Ego Depletion and Leader–Member Exchange Examination of Abusive Supervision and Destructive Voice," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 164(3), pages 579-591, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:164:y:2020:i:3:d:10.1007_s10551-018-4024-x
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-018-4024-x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Gang Wang & Peter Harms & Jeremy Mackey, 2015. "Does it take two to Tangle? Subordinates’ Perceptions of and Reactions to Abusive Supervision," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 131(2), pages 487-503, October.
    2. Joshua R. Gubler & Skye Herrick & Richard A. Price & David A. Wood, 2018. "Violence, Aggression, and Ethics: The Link Between Exposure to Human Violence and Unethical Behavior," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 147(1), pages 25-34, January.
    3. Su-Ying Pan & Katrina Jia Lin, 2018. "Who Suffers When Supervisors are Unhappy? The Roles of Leader–Member Exchange and Abusive Supervision," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 151(3), pages 799-811, September.
    4. Deng, Hong & Wu, Chia-Huei & Leung, Kwok & Guan, Yan-Jun, 2016. "Depletion from self-regulation: a resource-based account of the effect of value incongruence," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 60978, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    5. Yucheng Zhang & Timothy C. Bednall, 2016. "Antecedents of Abusive Supervision: a Meta-analytic Review," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 139(3), pages 455-471, December.
    6. Long-Zeng Wu & Haina Zhang & Randy Chiu & Ho Kwan & Xiaogang He, 2014. "Hostile Attribution Bias and Negative Reciprocity Beliefs Exacerbate Incivility’s Effects on Interpersonal Deviance," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 120(2), pages 189-199, March.
    7. Stijn Decoster & Jeroen Camps & Jeroen Stouten & Lore Vandevyvere & Thomas Tripp, 2013. "Standing by Your Organization: The Impact of Organizational Identification and Abusive Supervision on Followers’ Perceived Cohesion and Tendency to Gossip," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 118(3), pages 623-634, December.
    8. Lanaj, Klodiana & Johnson, Russell E. & Barnes, Christopher M., 2014. "Beginning the workday yet already depleted? Consequences of late-night smartphone use and sleep," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 124(1), pages 11-23.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Alexander, Katherine C. & Mackey, Jeremy D. & Maher, Liam P. & McAllister, Charn P. & Ellen, B. Parker, 2024. "An implicit leadership theory examination of cultural values as moderators of the relationship between destructive leadership and followers’ task performance," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(3).
    3. Xinqi Du & Md Sohel Chowdhury & Dae-seok Kang, 2022. "Reducing the Negative Effects of Abusive Supervision: A Step towards Organizational Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-15, December.
    4. Zilong Cui, 2023. "Good soldiers or bad apples? Exploring the impact of employee narcissism on constructive and destructive voice," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-11, December.
    5. Rezwan Ullah & Muhammad Zada & Imran Saeed & Jawad Khan & Muhammad Shahbaz & Alejandro Vega-Muñoz & Guido Salazar-Sepúlveda, 2021. "Have You Heard That—“GOSSIP”? Gossip Spreads Rapidly and Influences Broadly," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(24), pages 1-16, December.
    6. Lijing Zhao & Long W. Lam & Julie N. Y. Zhu & Shuming Zhao, 2022. "Doing It Purposely? Mediation of Moral Disengagement in the Relationship Between Illegitimate Tasks and Counterproductive Work Behavior," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 179(3), pages 733-747, September.
    7. Arindam Bhattacharjee & Anita Sarkar, 2024. "Abusive supervision: a systematic literature review," Management Review Quarterly, Springer, vol. 74(1), pages 1-34, February.

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