文献类型：期刊文献

英文题名：Entitlement Versus Obligation: The Role of Attributed Motives in Subordinate Reactions to Leader Leniency

作者：Zhu, Zheng[1];Chen, Xingwen[2];Yang, Mengxi[3,4];Chen, Wansi[5]

机构：[1]Nankai Univ, Business Sch, Tianjin, Peoples R China;[2]Fudan Univ, Sch Management, Shanghai, Peoples R China;[3]Univ Chinese Acad Sci, Sch Econ & Management, Beijing, Peoples R China;[4]UCAS, MOE Social Sci Lab Digital Econ Forecasts & Policy, Beijing, Peoples R China;[5]East China Univ Sci & Technol, Sch Business, Shanghai, Peoples R China

年份：2024

卷号：192

期号：1

起止页码：147

外文期刊名：JOURNAL OF BUSINESS ETHICS

收录：;WOS:【SSCI(收录号:WOS:001085856700001)】；

基金：This work was supported in part by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant numbers: 72202106, 72202040, 72102220, 72192843), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (Grant number: 63222080) and was supported by Ant Group and a grant from MOE Social Science Laboratory of Digital Economic Forecasts and Policy Simulation at UCAS.

语种：英文

外文关键词：Leader leniency; Instrumental motive attribution; Value-expressive motive attribution; Psychological entitlement; Felt obligation; Workplace deviance; Organizational citizenship behavior

摘要：Although previous research has examined the effectiveness of various levels of punitive reactions to misconduct, researchers have given leader leniency relatively inadequate attention. Prior studies consistently suggest the beneficial effects of reacting less punitively toward misconduct. The current research challenges this notion by delineating a mixed effect of leader leniency on subordinate psychological and behavioral reactions. Building on social exchange theory (i.e., reciprocity norm and rank equilibration norm) and motive attribution literature, the authors argue that when subordinates hold high levels of instrumental motive attribution, leader leniency relates positively to subordinate psychological entitlement, which in turn leads to workplace deviance. In contrast, when subordinates develop high levels of value-expressive motive attribution, leader leniency is positively associated with their felt obligation toward leaders, which positively influences their subsequent organizational citizenship behavior. The results of a field study, a scenario experiment, and a recall experiment conducted to test these hypotheses confirm the double-edged effects of leader leniency. These findings have important implications for theory and practice.