IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/jbuset/v187y2023i1d10.1007_s10551-022-05167-1.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Impact of Work-Related Use of Information and Communication Technologies After Hours on Time Theft

Author

Listed:
  • Chenqian Xu

    (Xiangtan University
    Tongji University)

  • Zhu Yao

    (Hunan University
    Tongji University)

  • Zhengde Xiong

    (Hunan University)

Abstract

Time theft is a prevalent, costly, and generally discreet employee activity in firms; nonetheless, very limited research is available on it. To explore why, how, and when employees exhibit time theft, we investigate the influence mechanism of work-related use of information and communication technologies after hours (W_ICTs) on time theft from the perspective of resource gain and loss. Our study found that W_ICTs significantly promotes employee time theft. Emotional exhaustion and moral disengagement play a mediating role in the relationship between W_ICTs and time theft, respectively, and these two variables have a chain-mediating role in the relationship above. Perceived organizational support moderates this chain mediation by moderating the positive effect of W_ICTs on emotional exhaustion. Overall, the findings have important theoretical and managerial implications for research on W_ICTs and time theft.

Suggested Citation

  • Chenqian Xu & Zhu Yao & Zhengde Xiong, 2023. "The Impact of Work-Related Use of Information and Communication Technologies After Hours on Time Theft," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 187(1), pages 185-198, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:187:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1007_s10551-022-05167-1
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-022-05167-1
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10551-022-05167-1
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10551-022-05167-1?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. DeConinck, James B., 2010. "The effect of organizational justice, perceived organizational support, and perceived supervisor support on marketing employees' level of trust," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 63(12), pages 1349-1355, December.
    2. Peter Andrew Heslin & Lauren Keating & Amirali Minbashian, 2019. "How Situational Cues and Mindset Dynamics Shape Personality Effects on Career Outcomes," Post-Print hal-02312160, HAL.
    3. Chen, Hao & Richard, Orlando C. & Dorian Boncoeur, O. & Ford, David L., 2020. "Work engagement, emotional exhaustion, and counterproductive work behavior," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 30-41.
    4. Chen, Hansong & Tian, Zhen, 2022. "Environmental uncertainty, resource orchestration and digital transformation: A fuzzy-set QCA approach," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 184-193.
    5. Peixu He & Zhenglong Peng & Hongdan Zhao & Christophe Estay, 2019. "How and When Compulsory Citizenship Behavior Leads to Employee Silence: A Moderated Mediation Model Based on Moral Disengagement and Supervisor–Subordinate Guanxi Views," Post-Print hal-02054246, HAL.
    6. Al-Karim Samnani & Sabrina Salamon & Parbudyal Singh, 2014. "Negative Affect and Counterproductive Workplace Behavior: The Moderating Role of Moral Disengagement and Gender," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 119(2), pages 235-244, January.
    7. Roberta Fida & Marinella Paciello & Carlo Tramontano & Reid Fontaine & Claudio Barbaranelli & Maria Farnese, 2015. "An Integrative Approach to Understanding Counterproductive Work Behavior: The Roles of Stressors, Negative Emotions, and Moral Disengagement," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 130(1), pages 131-144, August.
    8. Peixu He & Zhenglong Peng & Hongdan Zhao & Christophe Estay, 2019. "How and When Compulsory Citizenship Behavior Leads to Employee Silence: A Moderated Mediation Model Based on Moral Disengagement and Supervisor–Subordinate Guanxi Views," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 155(1), pages 259-274, March.
    9. Julena M. Bonner & Rebecca L. Greenbaum & David M. Mayer, 2016. "My Boss is Morally Disengaged: The Role of Ethical Leadership in Explaining the Interactive Effect of Supervisor and Employee Moral Disengagement on Employee Behaviors," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 137(4), pages 731-742, September.
    10. Naresh K. Malhotra & Sung S. Kim & Ashutosh Patil, 2006. "Common Method Variance in IS Research: A Comparison of Alternative Approaches and a Reanalysis of Past Research," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 52(12), pages 1865-1883, December.
    11. Yan Liu & Christopher Berry, 2013. "Identity, Moral, and Equity Perspectives on the Relationship Between Experienced Injustice and Time Theft," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 118(1), pages 73-83, November.
    12. William C. McDowell & Lucy M. Matthews & Ryan L. Matthews & Joshua R. Aaron & Diane R. Edmondson & Cheryl B. Ward, 2019. "The price of success: balancing the effects of entrepreneurial commitment, work-family conflict and emotional exhaustion on job satisfaction," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 15(4), pages 1179-1192, December.
    13. Xiaoming Zheng & Xin Qin & Xin Liu & Hui Liao, 2019. "Will Creative Employees Always Make Trouble? Investigating the Roles of Moral Identity and Moral Disengagement," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 157(3), pages 653-672, July.
    14. Christine Henle & Charlie Reeve & Virginia Pitts, 2010. "Stealing Time at Work: Attitudes, Social Pressure, and Perceived Control as Predictors of Time Theft," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 94(1), pages 53-67, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ulf Schaefer & Onno Bouwmeester, 2021. "Reconceptualizing Moral Disengagement as a Process: Transcending Overly Liberal and Overly Conservative Practice in the Field," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 172(3), pages 525-543, September.
    2. 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.
    3. Alexander Newman & Huong Le & Andrea North-Samardzic & Michael Cohen, 2020. "Moral Disengagement at Work: A Review and Research Agenda," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 167(3), pages 535-570, December.
    4. Ken Cheng & Limin Guo & Jinlian Luo, 2023. "The more you exploit, the more expedient I will be: A moral disengagement and Chinese traditionality examination of exploitative leadership and employee expediency," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 40(1), pages 151-167, March.
    5. Marc Ohana & Ghulam Murtaza & Inam ul Haq & Esraa Al-Shatti & Zhang Chi, 2024. "Why and When can CSR toward Employees Lead to Cyberloafing? The Role of Workplace Boredom and Moral Disengagement," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 189(1), pages 133-148, January.
    6. Jeremy D. Mackey & Charn P. McAllister & Katherine C. Alexander, 2021. "Insubordination: Validation of a Measure and an Examination of Insubordinate Responses to Unethical Supervisory Treatment," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 168(4), pages 755-775, February.
    7. Zhu Yao & Jinlian Luo & Na Fu & Xianchun Zhang & Qunchao Wan, 2022. "Rational Counterattack: The Impact of Workplace Bullying on Unethical Pro-organizational and Pro-family Behaviors," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 181(3), pages 661-682, December.
    8. Tsang-Kai Hung & Chih-Hung Wang & Mu Tian & Ming Lin & Wen-Hsiu Liu, 2022. "How to Prevent Stress in the Workplace by Emotional Regulation? The Relationship Between Compulsory Citizen Behavior, Job Engagement, and Job Performance," SAGE Open, , vol. 12(2), pages 21582440221, June.
    9. Mohamed Fathy Agina & Hazem Ahmed Khairy & Mohamed A. Abdel Fatah & Youssef H. Manaa & Rabab M. Abdallah & Nadir Aliane & Jehad Afaneh & Bassam Samir Al-Romeedy, 2023. "Distributive Injustice and Work Disengagement in the Tourism and Hospitality Industry: Mediating Roles of the Workplace Negative Gossip and Organizational Cynicism," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(20), pages 1-24, October.
    10. Tao Zhou, 2013. "Examining continuous usage of location-based services from the perspective of perceived justice," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 15(1), pages 141-150, March.
    11. Zejun Ma & Hira Salah ud din Khan & Muhammad Salman Chughtai & Mingxing Li & Bailin Ge & Syed Usman Qadri, 2023. "A Review of Supervisor–Subordinate Guanxi: Current Trends and Future Research," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-15, January.
    12. Gabi Eissa & Scott W. Lester, 2022. "A Moral Disengagement Investigation of How and When Supervisor Psychological Entitlement Instigates Abusive Supervision," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 180(2), pages 675-694, October.
    13. Peixu He & Rui Sun & Hongdan Zhao & Linlin Zheng & Chuangang Shen, 2022. "Linking work-related and non-work-related supervisor–subordinate relationships to knowledge hiding: a psychological safety lens," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 21(4), pages 525-546, September.
    14. Thang V. Nguyen & Minh H. Doan & Nhung H. Tran, 2021. "The perpetuation of bribery–prone relationships: A study from Vietnamese public officials," Public Administration & Development, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 41(5), pages 244-256, December.
    15. Belhadi, Amine & Venkatesh, Mani & Kamble, Sachin & Abedin, Mohammad Zoynul, 2024. "Data-driven digital transformation for supply chain carbon neutrality: Insights from cross-sector supply chain," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 270(C).
    16. Nicholas Burton & Mai Chi Vu, 2021. "Moral Identity and the Quaker tradition: Moral Dissonance Negotiation in the WorkPlace," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 174(1), pages 127-141, November.
    17. Roberta Fida & Carlo Tramontano & Marinella Paciello & Valerio Ghezzi & Claudio Barbaranelli, 2018. "Understanding the Interplay Among Regulatory Self-Efficacy, Moral Disengagement, and Academic Cheating Behaviour During Vocational Education: A Three-Wave Study," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 153(3), pages 725-740, December.
    18. Denni Arli & Felix Septianto & Rafi M. M. I. Chowdhury, 2021. "Religious But Not Ethical: The Effects of Extrinsic Religiosity, Ethnocentrism and Self-righteousness on Consumers’ Ethical Judgments," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 171(2), pages 295-316, June.
    19. Biyun Hu & Crystal M. Harold & Dayoung Kim, 2023. "Stealing Time on the Company’s Dime: Examining the Indirect Effect of Laissez-Faire Leadership on Employee Time Theft," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 183(2), pages 475-493, March.
    20. Harris, Lloyd C. & He, Hongwei, 2019. "Retail employee pilferage: A study of moral disengagement," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 57-68.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:187:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1007_s10551-022-05167-1. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.