Money talks in working behavior: impact of unethical leadership on psychological empowerment, attitude towards doing well, and deviant work behavior
Abstract This empirical investigation examines the mediating mechanisms through which unethical leadership influences employee work deviant behavior in the healthcare sector, specifically focusing on psychological empowerment and performance attitudes as potential mediating variables. Furthermore, t...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2025-04-01
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| Series: | BMC Psychology |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-025-02717-w |
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| author | Gaofeng Wang Naseer Abbas Khan Maria Akhtar Asma Batool |
| author_facet | Gaofeng Wang Naseer Abbas Khan Maria Akhtar Asma Batool |
| author_sort | Gaofeng Wang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract This empirical investigation examines the mediating mechanisms through which unethical leadership influences employee work deviant behavior in the healthcare sector, specifically focusing on psychological empowerment and performance attitudes as potential mediating variables. Furthermore, the research explores the moderating role of financial job dependency in the relationship between unethical leadership and employee work deviant behavior. Utilizing a systematic stratified sampling methodology, data were collected from 384 manager-employee dyads within healthcare organizations in developing countries. The results demonstrate that both psychological empowerment and performance attitudes serve as significant mediating mechanisms in the relationship between unethical leadership and work deviant behavior. Additionally, the findings reveal that financial job dependency moderates the relationship between unethical leadership and psychological empowerment, although no significant moderating effect was observed in the relationship between unethical leadership and employee workplace behaviors. These findings contribute to the existing literature on organizational behavior and healthcare management while offering practical implications for healthcare administrators seeking to mitigate workplace deviance. The results provide empirically-grounded insights that can inform the development of targeted interventions and management strategies within healthcare organizations. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-dbeba457c7ee488982bf1556f7c16250 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2050-7283 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Psychology |
| spelling | doaj-art-dbeba457c7ee488982bf1556f7c162502025-08-20T02:20:02ZengBMCBMC Psychology2050-72832025-04-0113111310.1186/s40359-025-02717-wMoney talks in working behavior: impact of unethical leadership on psychological empowerment, attitude towards doing well, and deviant work behaviorGaofeng Wang0Naseer Abbas Khan1Maria Akhtar2Asma Batool3School of Public Administration and Sociology, Jiangsu Normal UniversityMalik Firoz Khan Noon Business School, University of SargodhaSchool of Management, Zhengzhou UniversityDepartment of Psychology, Thal University BhakkarAbstract This empirical investigation examines the mediating mechanisms through which unethical leadership influences employee work deviant behavior in the healthcare sector, specifically focusing on psychological empowerment and performance attitudes as potential mediating variables. Furthermore, the research explores the moderating role of financial job dependency in the relationship between unethical leadership and employee work deviant behavior. Utilizing a systematic stratified sampling methodology, data were collected from 384 manager-employee dyads within healthcare organizations in developing countries. The results demonstrate that both psychological empowerment and performance attitudes serve as significant mediating mechanisms in the relationship between unethical leadership and work deviant behavior. Additionally, the findings reveal that financial job dependency moderates the relationship between unethical leadership and psychological empowerment, although no significant moderating effect was observed in the relationship between unethical leadership and employee workplace behaviors. These findings contribute to the existing literature on organizational behavior and healthcare management while offering practical implications for healthcare administrators seeking to mitigate workplace deviance. The results provide empirically-grounded insights that can inform the development of targeted interventions and management strategies within healthcare organizations.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-025-02717-wUnethical leadershipPsychological empowermentAttitude towards doing wellFinancial job dependencyWork deviant behaviorSocial exchange theory |
| spellingShingle | Gaofeng Wang Naseer Abbas Khan Maria Akhtar Asma Batool Money talks in working behavior: impact of unethical leadership on psychological empowerment, attitude towards doing well, and deviant work behavior BMC Psychology Unethical leadership Psychological empowerment Attitude towards doing well Financial job dependency Work deviant behavior Social exchange theory |
| title | Money talks in working behavior: impact of unethical leadership on psychological empowerment, attitude towards doing well, and deviant work behavior |
| title_full | Money talks in working behavior: impact of unethical leadership on psychological empowerment, attitude towards doing well, and deviant work behavior |
| title_fullStr | Money talks in working behavior: impact of unethical leadership on psychological empowerment, attitude towards doing well, and deviant work behavior |
| title_full_unstemmed | Money talks in working behavior: impact of unethical leadership on psychological empowerment, attitude towards doing well, and deviant work behavior |
| title_short | Money talks in working behavior: impact of unethical leadership on psychological empowerment, attitude towards doing well, and deviant work behavior |
| title_sort | money talks in working behavior impact of unethical leadership on psychological empowerment attitude towards doing well and deviant work behavior |
| topic | Unethical leadership Psychological empowerment Attitude towards doing well Financial job dependency Work deviant behavior Social exchange theory |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-025-02717-w |
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