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Feeling proud but guilty? Unpacking the paradoxical nature of unethical pro-organizational behavior

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  • Tang, Pok Man
  • Yam, Kai Chi
  • Koopman, Joel

Abstract

Integrating appraisal theories of emotion and the literature of self-conscious emotion, we argue that UPB has a paradoxical nature that can lead to ambivalent emotional reactions, with implications for subsequent behavior. On the one hand, because UPB benefits one’s organization, it should trigger feelings of pride. However, given its unethical nature, UPB should also trigger feelings of guilt. Using an experience sampling study of 91 customer-service agent dyads in the technology consultancy industry, we find that daily UPB is positively associated with daily pride and guilt. These emotions in turn lead to increased citizenship behavior directed towards the organization and customers, respectively. We replicate these findings with another experience sampling study of 78 triads (focal employees, co-workers, and customers) in the financial service industry. More importantly, we find that service employees’ guilt proneness moderates the link between daily UPB and pride, such that UPB leads to heightened feelings of pride especially when the service employees have lower levels of guilt proneness. We conclude by discussing the theoretical and practical implications of our work.

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  • Tang, Pok Man & Yam, Kai Chi & Koopman, Joel, 2020. "Feeling proud but guilty? Unpacking the paradoxical nature of unethical pro-organizational behavior," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 160(C), pages 68-86.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jobhdp:v:160:y:2020:i:c:p:68-86
    DOI: 10.1016/j.obhdp.2020.03.004
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    3. Amin, Muhammad & Khan, Imran & Shamim, Amjad & Ting, Ding Hooi & Jan, Amin & Abbasi, Amir Zaib, 2024. "Employee motivations in shaping customer value co-creation attitude and behavior: Job position as a moderator," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
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    5. Gajendran, Ravi S. & Loewenstein, Jeffrey & Choi, Hyeran & Ozgen, Sibel, 2022. "Hidden costs of text-based electronic communication on complex reasoning tasks: Motivation maintenance and impaired downstream performance," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 169(C).
    6. Tomasz Gigol, 2020. "Gender Differences in Engagement in Unethical Pro-Organizational Behavior—Two Studies in Poland," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-12, December.
    7. Madhurima Mishra & Koustab Ghosh & Dheeraj Sharma, 2022. "Unethical Pro-organizational Behavior: A Systematic Review and Future Research Agenda," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 179(1), pages 63-87, August.
    8. Xue Zhang & Liang Liang & Guyang Tian & Yezhuang Tian, 2020. "Heroes or Villains? The Dark Side of Charismatic Leadership and Unethical Pro-organizational Behavior," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(15), pages 1-16, July.

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