Employee unethical behavior in organizations: A functionalist perspective

ABSTRACT

How does unethical behavior of employees manifest in organizations? We answer this question using strain, interest, and ethnos oblige theories in four studies based on data from Ghana and Botswana. We find support across the three theoretical perspectives of a mediated model where strain, interest, and obligation influence unethical behavior via affect and strategies. We also conducted robustness checks using bribery and corruption criterions which support the findings and show more robust effects with ethnos oblige theory than strain and interest theories. We make novel theoretical, empirical, and practical contributions by providing a parsimonious explanation for why employees engage in unethical behavior in Africa. Overall, our studies extend the unethical behavior literature by proposing an integrative model that recognizes the syncretic experiences of employees in Africa.

KEYWORDS:

• ethnic obligation
• ethnos oblige
• strain
• interest theories
• unethical behavior

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Table 5. Summary of Indirect Effects.

Notes

1 Not included due to space constraints. Mediation results may be obtained from the first author.

2 Not included due to space constraints. Mediation results may be obtained from the first author.

3 We run several alternative models but summarize the major ones in Table 5 and in Figure 4. The alternative model with direct effects seems to have a better fit with the data than the other models as indicated by the fit indices.

4 Not included due to space constraints. Mediation results may be obtained from the first author.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Baniyelme D. Zoogah

Baniyelme D. Zoogah (PhD – The Ohio State University) Associate Professor of Management at the DeGroote School of Business, McMaster University, Ontario, teaches HR/OB courses in the Human Resources and Management Area. His current research is primarily on African Management and Strategic Followership. In addition to Visiting Professorship positions in Ghana and South Africa, he has published in several high-level journals. In addition to book chapters, he has authored two books on Strategic followership, one book on Ethnos Oblige: Theory and Evidence, and co-authored Managing Organizational Behavior in the African Context. He also edited one volume of the Emerald series on Research Methodology in Strategy and Management (in the Context of Africa). He is the Past President of the Africa Academy of Management.

Ruby Melody Agbola

Ruby Melody Agbola (PhDc, GIMPA Business School) is a Senior Lecturer and the Head of Management Department of Central University, Ghana. She has undertaken several independent research as well as collaborated with both national and international researchers on many research projects resulting in the publication of a number of articles and book chapters in reputable academic journals and books. Her current research explores the application of Configurations Theory to research on Firm Capabilities’ Interactivity and Substitution within the African context.

Tendy Matenge

Tendy M Matenge (PhD, University of Cape Town) is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Marketing at the University of Botswana. His research interests are in Culture and management, Consumer ethnocentrism, and Global Virtual Team performance.

George Sundagar Moses Wee

George Sundagar Moses Wee (deceased) was a Senior Lecturer and Dean of the business school at Perez University College. He was an HR professional with over 20 years of experience in both industry and academia. Prior to his untimely death on May 5, 2020, Rev. Wee collaborated with the co-authors of this paper and participated effectively in the research, writing and revision of the paper.