Unethical Leadership and Followers’ Deviance: The Mediating Role of Perception of Politics and Injustice

Abstract

This paper posits that unethical leadership behavior increases followers’ deviance by increasing perception of injustice and politics in organizations. More specifically, perception of politics and injustice mediates the relationship between unethical leadership behavior and followers’ deviance. By using data from 262 employees of various public organizations in Ethiopia, we confirmed our hypothesis. Further, the result of multiple regression confirmed that the relationship between unethical leadership behavior and followers’ deviance would be stronger when followers develop a perception of politics in the workplace. Introduction It is widely acknowledged that leaders ought to be a crucial source of ethical guidance for followers and should at the same time be responsible for the development of moral values, establishing ethical standards that guide the behavior and decision-making of followers (Brown, Treviño, & Harrison, 2005; Mihelic, Lipicnik, & Tekavcic, 2010). When these standards and values are consistently endorsed, role-modeled, and supported with compatible organizational processes, rules, and procedures, they will become an integral aspect of the organization’s system and culture (Schein & Culture, 1985). Conversely, when these standards and values are neglected, violated, and compromised, organizational misbehaviors are allowed to advance. According to social learning theory of Bandura, individuals learn by focusing their attention on role models to determine the appropriate behaviors, values, and attitudes to display publicly (Bandura, 1978). Pursuant to this interpretation, leaders who act ethically in the workplace encourage positive followers’ behaviors (Brown, 2005). On the contrary, unethical leadership as defined by as dishonesty and unfairness, engagement in corruption and other criminal behaviors, low empathy, lack of responsibility, following egocentric pursuit of own interest, and manipulation and misuse of others (Brown & Mitchell, 2010) has a negative correlation with positive followers’ outcomes and behaviors, including employee well-being, individual performance, and a positive correlation with negative employee behavior, like turnover intentions and other forms of counterproductive work behavior (Mitchell & Ambrose, 2007; Schyns & Schilling, 2013; Tepper, 2000). ZELEKE SIRAYE ASNAKEW BAHIR DAR UNIVERSITY BAHIR DAR, ETHIOPIA YIBELTAL ELIAS MEKONEN BAHIR DAR UNIVERSITY BAHIR DAR, ETHIOPIA