Organizational Behaviour in the COVID‐19 Context: Effects of Supervisor‐Directed Deviance on Retaliation against Subordinates

Kakarika, Maria; Lianidou, Theano; Qu, Yuanmei (Elly); Bligh, Michelle C.

Abstract

Previous research mostly examines supervisor-directed deviance as a subordinate's reaction to the supervisor's abusive behaviour while ignoring the perspective of supervisors as potential victims of deviant behaviour. Additionally, COVID-19 has deeply affected organizational climate and workplace behaviour. Therefore, drawing on the affective events theory, we examined the COVID-19 pandemic as a context shaping the effects of supervisor-directed deviance on retaliation against subordinates in the United States. We conducted two quasi-experiments with pre- and post-COVID-19 (Study 1, n = 97) and Wave 1–Wave 3 pandemic study designs (Study 2, n = 94), respectively, and found that supervisor-directed deviance triggered felt leader identity threat, consequently leading to retaliation against subordinates; this indirect effect strengthened as the pandemic progressed. We replicated these findings using a field study during the third wave of the pandemic (Study 3, n = 190), which established external validity by expanding the types of deviant and retaliatory behaviours examined. The results further showed that low COVID-19-induced empathic concern strengthened the effect of felt leader identity threat on retaliatory responses. Overall, our paper contributes to the literatures on retaliation and supervisor-directed deviance and opens avenues for research on the pandemic's impact on organizational behaviour.

Citation

Kakarika, M., Lianidou, T., Qu, Y. (., & Bligh, M. C. (2022). Organizational Behaviour in the COVID‐19 Context: Effects of Supervisor‐Directed Deviance on Retaliation against Subordinates. British Journal of Management, 33(1), 435-454. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8551.12579

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Nov 2, 2021
• Online Publication Date: Dec 16, 2021
• Publication Date: 2022-01
• Deposit Date: Mar 3, 2023
• Journal: British Journal of Management
• Print ISSN: 1045-3172
• Electronic ISSN: 1467-8551
• Publisher: Wiley
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 33
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 435-454
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8551.12579
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1179664