Effects of negative workplace gossip on unethical work behavior in the hospitality industry: the roles of moral disengagement and self-construal

ABSTRACT

Following social cognitive theory, this study examines the effects of negative workplace gossip (NWG) on employees’ unethical work behavior in the hospitality industry by introducing the mediating role of moral disengagement and moderating role of self-construal. Data were collected with a multi-wave survey approach from five hotels and five restaurants in Shantou, China. The results demonstrate that NWG exerts a significant influence on moral disengagement; this leads to employees’ unethical work behavior. Employees’ self-construal is a vital boundary condition moderating the detrimental impact of NWG on moral disengagement, as well as the indirect impacts of NWG on unethical work behavior via moral disengagement. The study findings contribute to NWG literature by extending the effects of NWG to unethical work behavior in the hospitality industry and unveiling the internal mechanism linking them. Furthermore, these findings provide a significant boundary condition to grasp when NWG causes moral disengagement and unethical work behavior.

摘要

本研究基于社会认知理论, 以道德脱离为中介和自我建构为调节, 探讨了接待行业中的职场负面八卦 (NWG) 对员工不道德工作行为的影响。通过多阶段调研方法, 从中国汕头的五家酒店和五家餐厅获取了研究数据。结果表明 : NWG对道德脱离产生显著的正向影响, 并进一步导致员工产生不道德工作行为 ; 员工的自我建构不仅对NWG与道德脱离之间的关系具有显著的调节作用, 而且进一步调节NWG通过道德脱离影响员工不道德工作行为的间接效应。本研究通过将NWG的影响后果拓展至接待行业中员工的不道德工作行为, 并揭示它们之间的内在作用机制, 为丰富NWG的相关文献做出了贡献。此外, 本研究结论还发现了NWG导致道德脱离和不道德工作行为的一个重要边界条件。

KEYWORDS:

• Negative workplace gossip
• moral disengagement
• self-construal
• unethical work behavior
• the hospitality industry

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation [grant numbers 2019A1515011464]; the 2019 Guangdong Science and Technology Special Fund Project [grant number 2019ST002]; Science Foundation of Ministry of Education of China [grant number 20XJC630004]; Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities [grant number JBK2101024; 2020jbkyzy034]; Sichuan Planning Program of Philosophy and Social Science [grant number SC21C068].

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest. This manuscript is not previously published or being considered by another journal.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Gongxing Guo

Gongxing Guo (Ph.D., Xiamen University) is an Associate Professor at School of Business, Shantou University. His research interests include marketing and tourism management. His academic research work has been published in Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management, Journal of Business Ethics, and International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management etcetera.

Bao Cheng

Bao Cheng (Ph.D., Xiamen University) is an Associate Professor of Management at School of Business Administration, Faculty of Business Administration, Southwestern University of Finance and Economics. His research interests are organizational behavior and human resource management. His academic research work has been published in various academic journals such as Journal of Business Ethics, International Journal of Conflict Management and International Journal of Hospitality Management. Bao Cheng is the correspondence author and can be contacted at: [email protected]. His address: No. 555, Liutai Avenue, Wenjiang District, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China.

Jian Tian

Jian Tian is a Ph.D. student at School of Business Administration, Faculty of Business Administration, Southwestern University of Finance and Economics. Her research interests include human resource management and hospitality management. Her academic research work has been published in International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management.

Jianfeng Ma

Jianfeng Ma (Ph.D., Xiamen University) is an Associate Professor at School of Management, Lanzhou University. His research interests include brand anthropomorphism and brand nostalgia. His recent paper has been published in Tourism Management and International Journal of Hospitality Management.

Chanjuan Gong

Chanjuan Gong is a master graduate at School of Business, Shantou University. Her research interest is consumer behavior.