Deterrence Effects: The Role of Authoritarian Leadership in Controlling Employee Workplace Deviance

Zheng, Y.; Huang, X.; Graham, L.; Redman, T.; Hu, S.

Abstract

Drawing upon two independent samples from mainland China, we propose and investigate the deterrence function of leadership behavior focused on control. We suggest that controlling leadership, specifically, authoritarian leadership, deters employees’ deviance under certain conditions. That is, authoritarian leadership thwarts employees’ interpersonal deviance behavior when leaders send clear signals of potential punishments of non-compliance by showing low leader benevolence, and when employees are highly dependent on the leaders for important work resources. Results from two independent studies largely support our key propositions. Overall, these results add to the range of possible impacts that a leader can play in decreasing employee deviance. Theoretical implications and directions for follow-up research are discussed.

Citation

Zheng, Y., Huang, X., Graham, L., Redman, T., & Hu, S. (2020). Deterrence Effects: The Role of Authoritarian Leadership in Controlling Employee Workplace Deviance. Management and Organization Review, 16(2), 377-404. https://doi.org/10.1017/mor.2019.50

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Apr 6, 2019
• Online Publication Date: Jan 23, 2020
• Publication Date: May 31, 2020
• Deposit Date: May 7, 2019
• Publicly Available Date: May 7, 2019
• Journal: Management and Organization Review
• Print ISSN: 1740-8776
• Electronic ISSN: 1740-8784
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 16
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 377-404
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/mor.2019.50
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1302224