IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/jbuset/v176y2022i1d10.1007_s10551-020-04730-y.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A Newcomer Socialization Perspective on the Proliferation of Unethical Conduct in Organizations: The Influences of Peer Coaching Practices and Newcomers’ Goal Orientations

Author

Listed:
  • Xiangmin Liu

    (Rutgers University)

  • Rebecca L. Greenbaum

    (Rutgers University)

  • David Allen

    (Texas Christian University)

  • Zhengtang Zhang

    (Nanjing University)

Abstract

Drawing on conservation of resources theory, we contribute to the behavioral ethics literature by examining how and why organizational socialization processes can affect newcomers’ adoption of unethical behaviors. Specifically, we contend that quality peer coaching (i.e., providing newcomers with job-related guidance and social support) provides newcomers with enhanced self-resources that diminishes emotional exhaustion and thus indirectly reduces newcomer unethical conduct. Conversely, peer coach unethical conduct (i.e., violating ethical norms) increases newcomers’ emotional exhaustion, and thus indirectly increases newcomers’ own unethical acts. Our research also identifies newcomers’ goal orientations as important individual differences that moderate the proposed mediation effects. Newcomers with high mastery orientations respond to high emotional exhaustion by harnessing more resources and identifying new work strategies, thereby engaging in less unethical conduct. Conversely, newcomers with high performance orientations give into emotional exhaustion and engage in unethical conduct as a way of outperforming others while conserving resources. We tested our theoretical model using a sample of peer coaches and newcomers from the Real Estate industry, using objective reporting of peer coaches’ and newcomers’ unethical conduct over a nine-month period.

Suggested Citation

  • Xiangmin Liu & Rebecca L. Greenbaum & David Allen & Zhengtang Zhang, 2022. "A Newcomer Socialization Perspective on the Proliferation of Unethical Conduct in Organizations: The Influences of Peer Coaching Practices and Newcomers’ Goal Orientations," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 176(1), pages 73-88, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:176:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1007_s10551-020-04730-y
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-020-04730-y
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10551-020-04730-y
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10551-020-04730-y?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Gino, Francesca & Margolis, Joshua D., 2011. "Bringing ethics into focus: How regulatory focus and risk preferences influence (Un)ethical behavior," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 115(2), pages 145-156, July.
    2. Bengt Muthén & Albert Satorra, 1995. "Technical aspects of Muthén's liscomp approach to estimation of latent variable relations with a comprehensive measurement model," Psychometrika, Springer;The Psychometric Society, vol. 60(4), pages 489-503, December.
    3. Jonathon Halbesleben & Jean-Pierre Neveu & Samantha Paustian-Underdahl & Mina Westman, 2014. "Getting to the “COR”: Understanding the Role of Resources in Conservation of Resources Theory," Post-Print hal-02049109, HAL.
    4. Button, Scott B. & Mathieu, John E. & Zajac, Dennis M., 1996. "Goal Orientation in Organizational Research: A Conceptual and Empirical Foundation," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 67(1), pages 26-48, July.
    5. Juelin Yin & Ali Quazi, 2018. "Business Ethics in the Greater China Region: Past, Present, and Future Research," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 150(3), pages 815-835, July.
    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. Darryl B. Rice & Regina M. Taylor & Yiding Wang & Sijing Wei & Valentina Ge, 2023. "My Company Cares About My Success…I Think: Clarifying Why and When a Firm’s Ethical Reputation Impacts Employees’ Subjective Career Success," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 186(1), pages 159-177, August.
    2. Lianne Aarntzen & Marlon Nieuwenhuis & Maaike D. Endedijk & Ruth van Veelen & Saskia M. Kelders, 2023. "STEM Students’ Academic Well-Being at University before and during Later Stages of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Cohort and Longitudinal Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(19), pages 1-29, September.

    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. Sherry E. Moss & Meng Song & Sean T. Hannah & Zhen Wang & John J. Sumanth, 2020. "The Duty to Improve Oneself: How Duty Orientation Mediates the Relationship Between Ethical Leadership and Followers’ Feedback-Seeking and Feedback-Avoiding Behavior," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 165(4), pages 615-631, September.
    2. Emre Yildiz, H. & Murtic, Adis & Klofsten, Magnus & Zander, Udo & Richtnér, Anders, 2021. "Individual and contextual determinants of innovation performance: A micro-foundations perspective," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    3. Mammassis, Constantinos S. & Kostopoulos, Konstantinos C., 2019. "CEO goal orientations, environmental dynamism and organizational ambidexterity: An investigation in SMEs," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 37(5), pages 577-588.
    4. Samreen Gilani & Anum Rabbani, 2020. "Role Ambiguity, Goal Orientation and Turnover Intention among Faculty Members of Private Sector Universities," Technium Social Sciences Journal, Technium Science, vol. 5(1), pages 122-150, March.
    5. Alfredo Rodríguez-Muñoz & Gerardo Montes-Maroto & Mirko Antino & Francisco Gil-Rodríguez & Paula Ruíz-Zorrilla, 2021. "Mindful You, Relaxed and Beneficial Me: A Daily Diary Study of Coworker Dyads," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(2), pages 767-786, February.
    6. Uju Violet Alola & Simplice A. Asongu & Andrew Adewale Alola, 2019. "Linking supervisor incivility with job embeddedness and cynicism: The mediating role of employee self-efficacy," Working Papers of the African Governance and Development Institute. 19/091, African Governance and Development Institute..
    7. Zou, Lili Wenli & Chan, Ricky Y.K., 2019. "Why and when do consumers perform green behaviors? An examination of regulatory focus and ethical ideology," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 113-127.
    8. Der-Chiang Li & Ching-Yeh Tsai, 2020. "Antecedents of Employees’ Goal Orientation and the Effects of Goal Orientation on E-Learning Outcomes: The Roles of Intra-Organizational Environment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-27, June.
    9. Tongyu Meng & Jamie Newth & Christine Woods, 2022. "Ethical Sensemaking in Impact Investing: Reasons and Motives in the Chinese Renewable Energy Sector," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 179(4), pages 1091-1117, September.
    10. Namwoon Kim & Jin K. Han & Rajendra K. Srivastava, 2002. "A Dynamic IT Adoption Model for the SOHO Market: PC Generational Decisions with Technological Expectations," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 48(2), pages 222-240, February.
    11. Albert Maydeu-Olivares, 2006. "Limited information estimation and testing of discretized multivariate normal structural models," Psychometrika, Springer;The Psychometric Society, vol. 71(1), pages 57-77, March.
    12. Wenjun Wu & Dengke Yu, 2023. "The role of individual perceptions in the completion of formalistic tasks," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-13, December.
    13. Gist, Marilyn E. & Stevens, Cynthia Kay, 1998. "Effects of Practice Conditions and Supplemental Training Method on Cognitive Learning and Interpersonal Skill Generalization," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 75(2), pages 142-169, August.
    14. Dewettinck, K. & Buyens, D., 2006. "Linking behavioral control to frontline employee commitment and performance: a test of two alternative explanations using motivation theories," Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School Working Paper Series 2006-13, Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School.
    15. Matilde Bini & Lucio Masserini, 2016. "Students’ Satisfaction and Teaching Efficiency of University Offer," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 129(2), pages 847-862, November.
    16. Welsh, David & Bush, John & Thiel, Chase & Bonner, Julena, 2019. "Reconceptualizing goal setting’s dark side: The ethical consequences of learning versus outcome goals," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 150(C), pages 14-27.
    17. Olivier de La Villarmois & Hubert Tondeur, 1999. "Une Analyse Des Finalités Des Systèmes De Contrôle," Post-Print halshs-00587790, HAL.
    18. Dustmann Christian & Preston Ian P, 2007. "Racial and Economic Factors in Attitudes to Immigration," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 7(1), pages 1-41, November.
    19. Daniel, Carole & Gentina, Elodie & Mesmer-Magnus, Jessica, 2022. "Mindfulness buffers the deleterious effects of workaholism for work-family conflict," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 306(C).
    20. Hao Kong & Warren CK Chiu & Humphrey KW Leung, 2019. "Building creative self-efficacy via learning goal orientation, creativity job requirement, and team learning behavior: The key to employee creativity," Australian Journal of Management, Australian School of Business, vol. 44(3), pages 443-461, August.

    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:kap:jbuset:v:176:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1007_s10551-020-04730-y. 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: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.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.