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1 – 10 of over 4000Emily Bassman and Manuel London
Discusses abusive management – extreme behaviours that canresult in a subordinate or work group being plagued by uncertainty,anxiety, and fear. Examines the prevalence of the…
Abstract
Discusses abusive management – extreme behaviours that can result in a subordinate or work group being plagued by uncertainty, anxiety, and fear. Examines the prevalence of the problem and its implications for management development, in terms of both the development of abused employees and the control of the abuser. Describes abusive behaviours, considers some likely antecedents of workplace abuse, examines subordinates′ reactions to abuse, and suggests ways organizations can diffuse or prevent these behaviours through management development.
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One organizational phenomenon in which emotions undoubtedly emerge is that of abusive supervision. To date, however, very little research has examined emotional responses…
Abstract
One organizational phenomenon in which emotions undoubtedly emerge is that of abusive supervision. To date, however, very little research has examined emotional responses associated with perceptions of abuse by supervisors. If subordinates believe that responsibility for abuse does not fall on the abusive supervisors but on the organization itself, they might think the abuse is uncontrollable or unintentional on the part of the supervisors. This attribution shift may result in feelings of sympathy toward the supervisor. In this chapter, we suggest that such responses are likely to occur when subordinates are under no-escape conditions. This circumstance can lead subordinates to forgive their supervisor and retaliate against their organization.
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Treena Gillespie Finney, R. Zachary Finney and John G. Roach III
This study investigates whether subordinates who rate their managers higher on narcissism are also more likely to view their managers as abusive. In particular, the study explores…
Abstract
Purpose
This study investigates whether subordinates who rate their managers higher on narcissism are also more likely to view their managers as abusive. In particular, the study explores the extent to which managers whom subordinates rate higher on narcissism use certain behaviors (self-promotion and unpredictability) that mediate the relationship between narcissism and perceived abuse.
Design/methodology/approach
Survey participants (n = 949) rated their most-destructive manager in terms of self-promotion, unpredictability, narcissism and abusiveness. A bootstrap analysis assessed the positive, mediating effects of leader self-promotion and unpredictability on the narcissism–abuse relationship.
Findings
Degree of perceived supervisor narcissism predicted subordinates' perceptions of abusive supervision. However, the supervisor's self-promotion activities and unpredictability fully mediated this relationship.
Research limitations/implications
This study identifies perceived narcissism as an antecedent of abusive supervision and identifies two mediators relevant to subordinates' perceptions of abuse. Using multiple methods and multiple sources, the authors recommend that scholars identify additional mediators. Further research should consider variables such as gender, organizational culture and occupational status.
Practical implications
Findings highlight how subordinates connect supervisor narcissism to abuse; this allows human resource practitioners to better predict and address subordinates' perceptions of their managers and to design interventions for improving supervisors' behaviors.
Originality/value
This study helps in explaining destructive leadership by empirically examining perceptions of narcissism as a driver of abusive supervision. Also, the study reveals the characteristics of narcissistic managers that impede productive relationships with subordinates.
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Jeremy Brees, Mark Martinko and Paul Harvey
– The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether employees’ personalities are associated with their perceptions of abusive supervision.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether employees’ personalities are associated with their perceptions of abusive supervision.
Design/methodology/approach
In total, 756 working adults provided data. Subjects’ began by taking personality assessments and then received a performance evaluation via a video role-play. Subjects then provided their perceptions of how abusive the supervisor was. The data were analyzed with regression analysis.
Findings
The results illustrated that respondents’ hostile attribution styles, negative affectivity, trait anger, and entitlement were positively and significantly associated with perceptions of abusive supervision.
Research limitations/implications
The results imply that judgments of supervisory abuse and interventions to ameliorate the negative consequences associated with abusive supervision should consider subordinates’ characteristics.
Originality/value
This study controlled supervisor behavior via a video vignette to assess how multiple subordinates’ perceive the same supervisor behavior. This study contributes to a more complete understanding of how personality is associated with perceptions of abusive supervision.
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Joseph Blase and Jo Blase
This article, the first empirical study of its kind, presents findings from a larger qualitative study of principal mistreatment of teachers. A grounded theory method was used to…
Abstract
This article, the first empirical study of its kind, presents findings from a larger qualitative study of principal mistreatment of teachers. A grounded theory method was used to study a sample of 50 US teachers who were subjected to long‐term mistreatment from school principals. The authors discuss descriptive, conceptual, and theoretical findings about principals’ actions that teachers define as mistreatment. In addition, the inductively derived model briefly looks at the harmful effects of principal mistreatment and abuse on teachers, psychologically/emotionally and physically/physiologically. Implications of study findings are discussed for administrator and teacher preparation, for school district offices, and for further research.
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Hong Lu, Wenquan Ling, Yuju Wu and Yi Liu
The purpose of this paper is to explore the fundamental content and structure of destructive leadership within the Chinese cultural context, through surveys of employees in…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the fundamental content and structure of destructive leadership within the Chinese cultural context, through surveys of employees in Chinese organizations.
Design/methodology/approach
Methodologies such as documentary analysis, interview and survey were used in the study, and surveys were conducted on over 1,300 employees from Beijing, Shanghai and other cities in Guangdong and Zhejiang provinces. Then the content and structure of destructive leadership perceived by Chinese employees were examined using multiple statistical techniques including EFA (exploratory factor analysis) and CFA (confirmatory factor analysis).
Findings
The results of the survey showed that destructive leadership in Chinese organizations consists of four factors: corruption, excoriation of subordinates, abuse of subordinates and the loss of professional morality. The authors then compared the structure with relevant Western research findings and revealed their similarities and differences.
Practical implications
The structure of Chinese destructive leadership not only reflects the characteristics of Chinese culture, but also reflects the characteristics of current Chinese organizational management, which have practical implications for identifying management problems in Chinese organizations and improving workplace leadership behavior.
Originality/value
This is the first paper of its kind in mainland China to empirically explore the theoretical model of destructive leadership within the context of Chinese culture, which will facilitate future research by offering a theoretical basis and research instrument.
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Changyu Wang, Jiaojiao Feng and Xinze Li
Previous research suggests that abusive supervision has a positive effect on subordinates’ behaviors of knowledge hiding. However, the authors argue that this effect depends on…
Abstract
Purpose
Previous research suggests that abusive supervision has a positive effect on subordinates’ behaviors of knowledge hiding. However, the authors argue that this effect depends on the level of team abusive supervision differentiation. Drawing on the conservation of resources (COR) theory and social comparison theory, this study tries to explain how the level of team abusive supervision differentiation, in conjunction with individuals' own experiences of abusive supervision, influences the focal subordinate's knowledge hiding from their colleagues.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper addresses a sample of 412 employees nested in 73 groups and tests an original model using structural equation modeling.
Findings
Results show that abusive supervision would indirectly promote subordinates' knowledge hiding toward coworkers via emotional exhaustion, and team abusive supervision differentiation has a positive moderating effect on the above indirect relationship.
Practical implications
Human resource management (HRM) practices should be used to reduce abusive supervision both at individual and team level and minimize employees' emotional exhaustion, thereby affecting knowledge hiding from coworkers.
Originality/value
Results show that whether a subordinate's experience of abusive supervision leads to knowledge hiding via emotional exhaustion depends on the level of team abusive supervision differentiation. This finding adds to the literature about abusive supervision and knowledge hiding.
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Haizhen Wang, Li-qun Wei and Ruoyong Zhang
Despite the literature on subordinates' destructive responses to abusive leadership, an emerging body of literature proposes that subordinates may react constructively to abusive…
Abstract
Purpose
Despite the literature on subordinates' destructive responses to abusive leadership, an emerging body of literature proposes that subordinates may react constructively to abusive supervision under certain conditions. The authors contribute to this line of research by proposing and testing the moderating effects of performance-approach and -avoidance goal orientation on the relationship between abusive supervision and task performance, and by testing work effort as a mechanism underlying this moderating effect.
Design/methodology/approach
The study hypotheses were tested in two studies. In Study 1 (field survey, N = 230), the moderation hypotheses were tested. Study 2 (experiment, N = 116) extended Study 1 and examined the mediated moderation model.
Findings
The study empirical evidence from the two studies showed that (1) abusive supervision was more positively related to an employee's task performance when that employee's performance-approach goal orientation was high (vs low), (2) abusive supervision was not more positively related to task performance when performance-avoidance goal orientation was high (vs low) and (3) the employee's work effort mediated the moderating effect of performance-approach goal orientation.
Practical implications
This research suggests that organizations and subordinates should be aware of the positive contextual role of performance-approach goal orientation, which may shape subordinates' subsequent work behavior in response to supervisors' hostility, and should invest more time and effort in reinforcing subordinates' performance-approach goal orientation.
Originality/value
This study has identified a new condition and offers new evidence of the potential functional effect of abusive supervision. Specifically, the study finding of the positive moderating role of performance-approach goal orientation adds to the literature examining when abused subordinates respond constructively to abusive supervision. The study analysis of the mediating effect of work effort further reveals the mechanism of this effect.
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Sajeet Pradhan and Lalatendu Kesari Jena
Several studies have investigated the harmful effects of abusive supervision on subordinates’ behaviour and performance, including their intention to quit. However, there is a…
Abstract
Purpose
Several studies have investigated the harmful effects of abusive supervision on subordinates’ behaviour and performance, including their intention to quit. However, there is a conspicuous dearth of empirical studies testing the deleterious interpersonal relationship, especially in Indian organizations. The purpose of this study is to explore the moderating role of meaningful work as a neutralizer in mitigating the pernicious effect of abusive supervision on subordinates’ turnover intention.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected from software professionals working in several Indian IT companies through self-report questionnaires (n = 227), using a time-lagged design on two occasions (span between T1 and T2 was three to four weeks).
Findings
The result confirms that abusive supervision is strongly related to subordinates’ intention to quit. Also, the study finds meaningful work to have a significant moderating effect on the relationship between abusive supervision and intention to quit.
Originality/value
The number of empirical studies exploring the pernicious effect of abusive supervision in Indian organizational context is almost negligible. In addition, the current study is among the few studies that have investigated the moderating effect of meaningful work on the relationship between abusive supervision and intention to quit.
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Eunji Huh and Eun-Suk Lee
Departing from previous research which shows that abusive supervision, as a salient job demand, induces detrimental employee outcomes, this study examines how to create…
Abstract
Purpose
Departing from previous research which shows that abusive supervision, as a salient job demand, induces detrimental employee outcomes, this study examines how to create constructive consequences of abusive supervision. To do so, the authors identify the boundary conditions to change the negative effect of supervisory abuse on employees’ work engagement in a positive direction. The authors examine the interactive moderating effect of a personal resource (i.e. positive causal attribution of abusive supervision) and a job resource (i.e. workplace friendship) on the relationship between abusive supervision and work engagement.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors used data from a two-wave survey of 697 full-time workers with a time interval of one month and conducted three-way interaction analyses to test their hypothesized model.
Findings
Abusive supervision increases employees’ work engagement when they make a positive causal attribution of abusive supervision (i.e. interpreting their abusive supervisor’s motives as promoting their job performance, rather than as intentionally harming them) and have favorable workplace friends.
Originality/value
The authors study offers a novel picture of abusive supervision by revealing that supervisory abuse can enhance employees’ work engagement when it is coupled with proper personal and job resources. In addition, this study highlights that in order to identify constructive effects of abusive supervision, it is critical to delve into the interaction between resources from these two domains to deal with abusive supervision.
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