IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v15y2023i19p14327-d1249843.html

Mitigating the Impact of Work Overload on Cybersecurity Behavior: The Moderating Influence of Corporate Ethics—A Mediated Moderation Analysis

Author

Listed:
  • Yunsook Hong

    (College of Business Administration, University of Ulsan, Ulsan 44610, Republic of Korea)

  • Min-Jik Kim

    (School of Industrial Management, Korea University of Technology and Education, Cheonan 31253, Republic of Korea)

  • Taewoo Roh

    (School of International Studies, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Republic of Korea)

Abstract

This present study examines how work overload affects cybersecurity behavior, considering job stress as a mediator and corporate ethics as a moderator. Using a time-lagged survey design, 377 South Korean employees were surveyed. The results of SEM analysis (structural equation model) show that work overload leads to higher job stress, which in turn worsens cybersecurity behavior. High levels of corporate ethics buffer this negative relationship. This research fill gaps in the existing literature by linking work overload, job stress, and corporate ethics to cybersecurity behavior, offering valuable insights for both theory and practice. Future research directions are also discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Yunsook Hong & Min-Jik Kim & Taewoo Roh, 2023. "Mitigating the Impact of Work Overload on Cybersecurity Behavior: The Moderating Influence of Corporate Ethics—A Mediated Moderation Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(19), pages 1-20, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:19:p:14327-:d:1249843
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/19/14327/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/19/14327/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Juan Sandoval-Reyes & Julio C. Acosta-Prado & Carlos Sanchís-Pedregosa, 2019. "Relationship Amongst Technology Use, Work Overload, and Psychological Detachment from Work," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(23), pages 1-11, November.
    2. Eline Jammaers, 2023. "Theorizing Discursive Resistance to Organizational Ethics of Care Through a Multi-stakeholder Perspective on Disability Inclusion Practices," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 183(2), pages 333-345, March.
    3. Holger Raúl Barriga Medina & Ronald Campoverde Aguirre & David Coello-Montecel & Paola Ochoa Pacheco & Milton Ismael Paredes-Aguirre, 2021. "The Influence of Work–Family Conflict on Burnout during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Effect of Teleworking Overload," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-22, September.
    4. Zbigniew Izdebski & Alicja Kozakiewicz & Maciej Białorudzki & Joanna Dec-Pietrowska & Joanna Mazur, 2023. "Occupational Burnout in Healthcare Workers, Stress and Other Symptoms of Work Overload during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Poland," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-19, January.
    5. Battisti, Enrico & Nirino, Niccolò & Leonidou, Erasmia & Salvi, Antonio, 2023. "Corporate social responsibility in family firms: Can corporate communication affect CSR performance?," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 162(C).
    6. Tahniyath Fatima & Said Elbanna, 2023. "Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Implementation: A Review and a Research Agenda Towards an Integrative Framework," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 183(1), pages 105-121, February.
    7. Jay Mulki & Jorge Jaramillo & William Locander, 2009. "Critical Role of Leadership on Ethical Climate and Salesperson Behaviors," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 86(2), pages 125-141, May.
    8. Cao, Shaopeng & Yao, Hongjiang & Zhang, Min, 2023. "CSR gap and firm performance: An organizational justice perspective," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    9. Muel Kaptein, 2023. "A Paradox of Ethics: Why People in Good Organizations do Bad Things," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 184(1), pages 297-316, April.
    10. Yun-Seok Hwang & Byung-Jik Kim, 2021. "“The Power of a Firm’s Benevolent Act”: The Influence of Work Overload on Turnover Intention, the Mediating Role of Meaningfulness of Work and the Moderating Effect of CSR Activities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(7), pages 1-15, April.
    11. Kmieciak, Roman, 2023. "Knowledge-withholding behaviours among IT specialists: the roles of job insecurity, work overload and supervisor support," Journal of Management & Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 29(2), pages 383-399, March.
    12. Jeeyoon Jeong & Byung-Jik Kim & Min-Jik Kim, 2022. "The Impact of Job Insecurity on Knowledge-Hiding Behavior: The Mediating Role of Organizational Identification and the Buffering Role of Coaching Leadership," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-17, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Amer Morshed & Laith T. Khrais, 2025. "Cybersecurity in Digital Accounting Systems: Challenges and Solutions in the Arab Gulf Region," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 18(1), pages 1-24, January.
    2. Kim, Byung-Jik & Kim, Min-Jik, 2024. "The influence of work overload on cybersecurity behavior: A moderated mediation model of psychological contract breach, burnout, and self-efficacy in AI learning such as ChatGPT," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    3. Nillasithanukroh, Songkhun & Park, Chul Hyun & Baek, Jaejong & Ahn, Gail-Joon & Richards, Robert, 2025. "Mapping the landscape of cybersecurity preparedness: A systematic review of non-technological determinants and consequences," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Cheng, Peng & Wei, Jiuchang & Liu, Yang, 2024. "Give a plum in return for a peach: The effect of entrepreneurial informal financing on environmental corporate social responsibility," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 175(C).
    2. Byung‐Jik Kim & Nayoung Jeon & Harim Sohn & Nahee Lee & Min‐Jik Kim, 2024. "The impact of corporate social responsibility on employee burnout: The crucial role of work overload," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(5), pages 4345-4360, September.
    3. Pragya Gupta & Sonali Singh & Laura Broccardo & Ebtesam Abdullah Alzeiby, 2025. "Examining the link between CSR perceptions and employee advocacy through organizational justice: Can corporate hypocrisy mitigate?," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 32(1), pages 615-634, January.
    4. Ryan W. Tang & Lili Mi & Xi Wen Carys Chan & Hongmin Yan & S. Tamer Cavusgil, 2025. "Corporate Social Responsibility and Technological Advancement of International Service Enterprises: Links and Gaps in the Literature," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 65(3), pages 415-458, June.
    5. Iñigo Gallo & Domènec Melé, 2025. "Work Integration of People with Mental Disorders Through Social Enterprise: A Humanistic-Personalist Framework and Case Study," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 199(4), pages 693-713, July.
    6. Zhen Li & Yitong Sun & Jinhao Liu & Yi Li & Zhifang Zhou, 2024. "Corporate violations and bank debt cost: The insurance effect of corporate social responsibility," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(5), pages 4487-4503, September.
    7. Omar S. Itani & Fernando Jaramillo & Larry Chonko, 2019. "Achieving Top Performance While Building Collegiality in Sales: It All Starts with Ethics," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 156(2), pages 417-438, May.
    8. Ioana Marin & Corneluta Fira-Mladinescu & Catalin Nicolae Marin & Victoria Stan & Sorin Ursoniu, 2024. "An Analysis of Burnout, Coping, and Pulse Wave Velocity in Relation to the Workplace of Healthcare Workers for the Sustainability of the Medical Career," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-17, January.
    9. Lan Guo & Ling Yang, 2023. "The Corporate Economic Influence and Corporate Social Responsibility: Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-22, July.
    10. Tim Heubeck & Annina Ahrens, 2025. "Governing the Responsible Investment of Slack Resources in Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Performance: How Beneficial are CSR Committees?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 198(2), pages 365-385, May.
    11. Lu Jintao & Zuxin Song & Francesco Mercuri & Malin Song & Nicola Cucari, 2025. "Shaping the Path to Sustainable Responsibility: Political Connection and Corporate Social Responsibility Implementation," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(6), pages 8380-8397, December.
    12. Rui Caldeira & Alfonso Infante-Moro, 2025. "The Importance of Ethics in Organisations, Their Leaders, and Sustainability," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-16, September.
    13. Olga Cerela-Boltunova & Inga Millere, 2025. "Exploring the Relation Between Nursing Workload and Moral Distress, Burnout, and Turnover in Latvian Intensive Care Units: An Ecological Analysis of Parallel Data," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 22(9), pages 1-19, September.
    14. Zeeshan Mukhtar & Abdul Rasheed, 2024. "Corporate Governance and Ownership Structure Effect on Corporate Social Performance: Evidence from Non-Financial Industries of Pakistan," Bulletin of Business and Economics (BBE), Research Foundation for Humanity (RFH), vol. 13(1), pages 527-541.
    15. Anita Starzyk & Jana F. Bauer, 2025. "Three Dilemmas of Disabled Employee Voice," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 201(4), pages 941-967, November.
    16. Reppmann, Manuel & Maibaum, Frederik & Edinger-Schons, Laura Marie & Foege, Johann Nils, 2025. "Talk, but don’t talk too much: How corporate sustainability communication evokes stepwise organizational change," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).
    17. Khwaja Naveed & Fahad Khalid & Cosmina L. Voinea & Nadine Roijakkers & Cosmin Fratostiteanu, 2023. "Board gender diversity and corporate environmental commitment: A subnational perspective," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(7), pages 4970-4990, November.
    18. Lu-Ming Tseng, 2019. "How Implicit Ethics Institutionalization Affects Ethical Selling Intention: The Case of Taiwan’s Life Insurance Salespeople," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 158(3), pages 727-742, September.
    19. Deepti Sharma & Ganesh N. Prabhu, 2025. "Navigating Competency in an Ableist World: The Lived Experiences of Disabled Individuals in Education and the Workplace," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 201(4), pages 859-893, November.
    20. Thang Ngoc Dang & Monomita Nandy & Suman Lodh & Khaled Hussainey, 2026. "Nature at Risk, Finance at Stake: A Systematic Literature Review of Biodiversity Risk in Finance Research," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35(3), pages 4256-4276, March.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:19:p:14327-:d:1249843. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager The email address of this maintainer does not seem to be valid anymore. Please ask MDPI Indexing Manager to update the entry or send us the correct address (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.