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Abusive, arrogant and exploitative? Linking despotic leadership and adaptive performance: the role of Islamic work ethics

Muhammad Qamar Zia (College of Business Management, Institute of Business Management, Karachi, Pakistan)
Muhammad Sufyan Ramish (Pakistan Air Force – Karachi Institute of Economics and Technology, Karachi, Pakistan)
Iram Mushtaq (Strathclyde Business School, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK)
Syeda Tayyaba Fasih (College of Business Management, Institute of Business Management, Karachi, Pakistan)
Muhammad Naveed (College of Business Management, Institute of Business Management, Karachi, Pakistan)

Leadership & Organization Development Journal

ISSN: 0143-7739

Article publication date: 19 June 2024

Issue publication date: 12 August 2024

185

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to theoretically discuss and empirically test the mediating mechanism of psychological distress and the moderating effects of Islamic work ethics (IWE) in the relationship between despotic leadership and adaptive performance.

Design/methodology/approach

A three-wave survey was used to gather the data from middle managers and their supervisors of construction firms in Pakistan. The final sample consisted of 304 respondents and data analysis was performed through SEM analysis.

Findings

Despotic leadership enhances employees’ psychological distress which results in a negative impact on adaptive performance. In addition, IWE played a buffering role in mitigating the harmful impacts of despotic leadership on adaptive performance.

Originality/value

The study is among the pioneers that have investigated how despotic leadership impacts employees’ adaptive performance via the underlying mechanism of psychological distress through the conservation of resources and social exchange theory lens.

Keywords

Citation

Zia, M.Q., Ramish, M.S., Mushtaq, I., Fasih, S.T. and Naveed, M. (2024), "Abusive, arrogant and exploitative? Linking despotic leadership and adaptive performance: the role of Islamic work ethics", Leadership & Organization Development Journal, Vol. 45 No. 7, pp. 1258-1280. https://doi.org/10.1108/LODJ-11-2023-0635

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2024, Emerald Publishing Limited

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