Scholars have investigated work behaviors that are intended to help others, yet at the same time violate societal values, norms, laws, or standards of proper conduct. We refer to these actions collectively as unethical prosocial behavior (UPB) at work. In this paper, we provide a critical review of the UPB literature. Our review makes several contributions: First, we clarify definitional issues surrounding UPB, while also offering suggestions for the improvement of measurement and methodology in the study of UPB. Second, we review the major theoretical perspectives that have been adopted in empirical research on UPB at different levels of analysis and summarize the empirical findings on the topic. In doing so, we highlight the theoretical and empirical challenges facing this work. Finally, we develop an agenda for future research that clears a path toward resolving these issues and advancing knowledge of UPB. 

Good Intentions, Bad Behavior: A Review and Synthesis of the Literature on Unethical Prosocial Behavior (UPB) at Work

Unethical behavior of employees threatens business development and sustainability by damaging the image and reputation of companies. Unethical pro-organizational behavior (UPB) must also be considered in this context, and its antecedents should be analyzed. This study aims to advance what is known about how leader-member exchange (LMX) and organizational identification affect employees’ intentions to perform UPB, by incorporating the effect of leadership communication. Within this context, the mediating role of organizational identification and the moderating role of leader’s message framing (gain or loss) are examined. The research sample consists of 306 employees working for state and private banks operating in Turkey. Participants were divided into two groups and message framing was manipulated with a hypothetical story using vignettes. Research hypotheses were tested by structural equation modeling (SEM) and multi-group analysis. Results confirmed positive effects of LMX and organizational identification on UPB. Organizational identification also mediated the effect of LMX on UPB. Moreover, leader’s communication style moderated the effects of LMX and organizational identification on UPB. When leaders used loss framing instead of gain framing, the effect of LMX on UPB was augmented whilst the effect of organizational identification diminished. Our study contributes to the literature by documenting how a leader’s communication style can trigger a shift towards UPB among highly identified employees. Research and managerial implications of the findings are discussed.

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Effects of Leader-Member Exchange, Organizational Identification and Leadership Communication on Unethical Pro-Organizational Behavior: A Study on Bank Employees in Turkey

PurposeFrom a lay theory standpoint, the authentic leadership journey has not been perceived together. This research aims to examine how both theories might be combined to reveal an authentic leadership journey in the eyes of laypeople when they perceive commitment and performance in an organization.Design/methodology/approachUsing simple random sampling, this research used a self-administered questionnaire prepared and distributed to higher education professionals in Islamabad. SPSS was used to compute the data, and PLS Smart was used to determine the path analysis.FindingsThe need for authenticity among humans is not a phantom, but the perspective is more toward better performance. In Pakistan, the general public and the educational establishment may benefit from greater self-awareness.Originality/valueThis study sheds light on a new phenomenon that can help us better comprehend what it means to be an authentic leader.

Authentic leadership journey: an empirical discussion from Pakistani higher education employing the lay theory of psychology


Purpose
The rise in the instances of ethical scandals in recent times has brought to light the hitherto ignored phenomenon of unethical proorganizational behavior (UPB) by employees. Drawing upon the social exchange theory, this study aims to examine the role of perceived organizational support (POS) and organizational identification on UPB. The research also investigated the moderating role of core self-evaluation (CSE) and positive reciprocity beliefs.


Design/methodology/approach
The hypotheses were tested with three-wave survey data collected from 306 executives from India. Data was analyzed using mediation and moderated mediation analyses on PROCESS v 3.0 macro.


Findings
Results showed that organizational identification mediated the relationship between POS and UPB. Further, CSE and positive reciprocity beliefs were seen to moderate the mediated relationship providing support for the moderated mediation framework.


Practical implications
The study highlights the importance of clear code of ethics, communication of ethical guidelines and ethical behavior of the managers as some of the ways to reduce the menace of UPB. Further, managers should be more vigilant toward the employees low on CSE and high on positive reciprocity beliefs as they are more prone to engage in UPB given their identification with the organization.


Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the mediating role of organizational identification in the relationship between POS and UPB. Further, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, no previous study has explored the moderating role of CSE and positive reciprocity beliefs in the aforesaid mediation.


Paved with good intentions: role of situational and dispositional influences on employees’ unethical pro-organizational behavior

PurposeThe family business literature indicates that non-family employees (NFEs) working in private family firms often feel marginalized effecting their ability to flourish at work and contribute to the organization beyond their defined job roles. Therefore, this study examines whether enabling NFEs to craft their own jobs, leads them to reappraise their position in the organization, thus influencing workplace flourishing (WF) and supervisor-assessed extra-role behaviour (ERB).Design/methodology/approachBuilding on the Conservation of Resources theory, a set of hypotheses is posited relating the three dimensions of job crafting (resource seeking, challenge seeking and job demand reduction) to ERB, through WF as a mediator. The hypotheses are tested through matched employee–supervisor data collected from 256 individuals working in private family firms, where 232 were NFEs while 24 individuals were supervisors.FindingsThe result generated through PLS-SEM indicates that all three dimensions of job crafting have a positive influence on WF. In the case of direct effect on ERB, only the direct relationship between challenge seeking and ERB was significant. However, the relationships between all three dimensions of job crafting and ERB became positive and significant through WF as mediator.Research limitations/implicationsThe implications of this study is that merely empowering NFEs to craft their own jobs may not lead them to contribute to the organization beyond their routine tasks. However, if they appraise such empowerment as a resource gain sufficient enough for them to feel that there are flourishing at the workplace, and then it is likely to influence their commitment to the organization to exhibit significant ERB. The study however is limited, as other potential exogenous variables that influence ERB were not considered.Practical implicationsThis study presents evidence for family business owners and managers to provide the pertinent resource support to their NFEs, so that they can flourish and contribute to the employer.Originality/valueThe current study contributes to the under-researched and fragmented literature on NFEs working in family firms. Furthermore, this appears to be among the first study that looks into workplace flourishing and ERB among NFEs in the realm of family business.

Extra-role behaviour of non-family employees in private family firms through job crafting: mediating role of workplace flourishing


Purpose
The purpose of this study is to examine how – if any – does message framing moderates the previously documented positive effect of organizational identification on unethical pro-organizational behavior (UPB).


Design/methodology/approach
The authors used vignette methodology to manipulate message framing and organizational identification in a 2 × 2 between-subjects experimental design to test research hypotheses. In total, 332 undergraduate students in the senior year of banking and management participated in the experiment. Two-way analysis of variance was used for data analyses.


Findings
Message framing is found to moderate the effect of organizational identification on UPB. Organizational identification posed a stronger effect on intentions to engage UPB when a supervisor announces a critical situation by using a positively framed message than (s)he frames it negatively.


Research limitations/implications
Using undergraduate students as subjects is an important limitation to external validity and generalizability of the findings. More realistic field experiments can be conducted by using real employees and factual firms in future studies.


Practical implications
Managers should be careful when using over-motivating language to employees on critical issues. Under intense stress, a managerial message over-emphasizing “gain” can prompt highly identified employees to conduct misbehavior.


Social implications
Unethical behavior brings negative consequences for organizations, even if it is conducted for the benefit of the organization. To prevent any tendency toward UPB, management communication must clearly highlight the delicate boundary between being attached to the organization and going beyond the rules for the organizational goals.


Originality/value
The study findings shed more light on the relationship between organizational identification and UPB, allowing us to see that the relationship is not always linear. In addition to over-identification, reciprocity and neutralization processes, the framing may be another explanation to varying effect of organizational identification on UPB. Supervisors’ communication style can influence employee behavior in controversial issues linked to UPB.


Ezgi F. Erbas Kelebek

Papers

The moderating role of message framing on the links between organizational identification and unethical pro-organizational behavior

Effects of Leader-Member Exchange, Organizational Identification and Leadership Communication on Unethical Pro-Organizational Behavior: A Study on Bank Employees in Turkey