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Victim and Culprit? The Effects of Entitlement and Felt Accountability on Perceptions of Abusive Supervision and Perpetration of Workplace Bullying

Author

Listed:
  • Jeremy D. Mackey

    (Auburn University)

  • Jeremy R. Brees

    (University of Scranton)

  • Charn P. McAllister

    (Florida State University)

  • Michelle L. Zorn

    (Auburn University)

  • Mark J. Martinko

    (Florida A&M University)

  • Paul Harvey

    (University of New Hampshire)

Abstract

Although workplace bullying is common and has universally harmful effects on employees’ outcomes, little is known about workplace bullies. To address this gap in knowledge, we draw from the tenets of social exchange and displaced aggression theories in order to develop and test a model of workplace bullying that incorporates the effects of employees’ individual differences (i.e., entitlement), perceptions of their work environments (i.e., felt accountability), and perceptions of supervisory treatment (i.e., perceptions of abusive supervision) on their tendencies to bully coworkers. The results of mediated moderation analyses that examine responses from two samples of working adults (n Sample 1 = 396; n Sample 2 = 123) support our hypotheses. Specifically, we find evidence of an indirect relationship between entitlement and coworker bullying through perceptions of abusive supervision that is stronger for employees who report lower levels of felt accountability than employees who report higher levels of felt accountability. This study makes important theoretical and practical contributions to abusive supervision research, bullying research, and organizational efforts to promote ethical work environments devoid of interpersonal mistreatment by providing novel insight into how employees’ entitlement and felt accountability combine to influence their tendencies to perceive themselves as victims of abusive supervision and culprits of coworker bullying.

Suggested Citation

  • Jeremy D. Mackey & Jeremy R. Brees & Charn P. McAllister & Michelle L. Zorn & Mark J. Martinko & Paul Harvey, 2018. "Victim and Culprit? The Effects of Entitlement and Felt Accountability on Perceptions of Abusive Supervision and Perpetration of Workplace Bullying," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 153(3), pages 659-673, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:153:y:2018:i:3:d:10.1007_s10551-016-3348-7
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-016-3348-7
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Gang Wang & Peter Harms & Jeremy Mackey, 2015. "Does it take two to Tangle? Subordinates’ Perceptions of and Reactions to Abusive Supervision," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 131(2), pages 487-503, October.
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    12. Gabriele Giorgi & Jose Leon-Perez & Alicia Arenas, 2015. "Are Bullying Behaviors Tolerated in Some Cultures? Evidence for a Curvilinear Relationship Between Workplace Bullying and Job Satisfaction Among Italian Workers," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 131(1), pages 227-237, September.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Jeremy D. Mackey & Charn P. McAllister & Katherine C. Alexander, 2021. "Insubordination: Validation of a Measure and an Examination of Insubordinate Responses to Unethical Supervisory Treatment," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 168(4), pages 755-775, February.
    3. Higgins, Monica & Dobrow, Shoshana R. & Weiner, Jennie Miles & Liu, Haiyang, 2022. "When is psychological safety helpful in organizations? A longitudinal study," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 113402, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    4. Guglielmo Faldetta & Deborah Gervasi, 2024. "Escaping the Scapegoat Trap: Using René Girard’s Framework for Workplace Bullying," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 191(2), pages 269-283, May.
    5. Vítor Hugo Silva & Ana Patrícia Duarte & Joana Palmeira Oliveira, 2023. "How Does Authentic Leadership Boost Work Engagement? Exploring the Mediating Role of Work Meaningfulness and Work–Family Enrichment," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-17, October.
    6. Lijing Zhao & Long W. Lam & Julie N. Y. Zhu & Shuming Zhao, 2022. "Doing It Purposely? Mediation of Moral Disengagement in the Relationship Between Illegitimate Tasks and Counterproductive Work Behavior," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 179(3), pages 733-747, September.

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