Purpose

This study aims to examine the role of deviant status (lower vs higher rank) and organizational structure (vertical vs horizontal) on individuals’ responses to workplace deviance.

Design/methodology/approach

Two studies (N = 472) were designed to examine the role of deviant status and organizational structure in responses to workplace deviance. Study 1 (N = 272) manipulated deviant status and organizational structure. Study 2 (N = 200) also manipulated deviant status but focused on participants’ subjective evaluations of the organizational structure of their workplace.

Findings

Study 1 found that participants reported lower job satisfaction and organizational commitment, and higher turnover intentions when they imagined being confronted with deviant behaviors displayed by a manager (vs by a subordinate), regardless of the type of organizational structure. Study 2 extended this finding by showing that the indirect effect of organizational structure (vertical vs horizontal) on turnover intention via job satisfaction and organizational commitment was moderated by deviant status: when the deviant’s status was higher, working in a vertical (vs horizontal) organization was associated with decreased job satisfaction and commitment, which, in turn, was associated with a higher level of turnover intentions.

Originality/value

The findings broaden our understanding of how individuals respond to deviance at the workplace, by simultaneously considering the effects of organizational structure (vertical vs horizontal) and deviant status (upward vs downward directions of deviance).

中文翻译：

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组织结构和偏差状态在员工对工作场所偏差的反应和接受中的作用

目的

这项研究的目的是研究偏差状态（低级与高级）和组织结构（垂直与水平）在个人对工作场所偏差的反应中的作用。

设计/方法/方法

设计了两项研究（N = 472）来检查异常状态和组织结构在应对工作场所偏差方面的作用。研究1（N = 272）操纵了偏差状态和组织结构。研究2（N = 200）也操纵了偏差状态，但侧重于参与者对其工作场所的组织结构的主观评价。

发现

研究1发现，参与者想象自己面对经理表现出的异常行为（相对于下属）时，其工作满意度和组织承诺较低，离职意图更高，而与组织结构的类型无关。研究2扩展了这一发现，表明组织结构（垂直与水平）通过工作满意度和组织承诺对离职意向的间接影响受到偏离状态的影响：当偏离状态的地位较高时，在垂直（相对于水平）组织中工作与工作满意度和承诺降低有关，而这又与更高的离职意愿有关。

创意/价值

通过同时考虑组织结构（垂直与水平）和异常状态（向上与向下方向的偏离）的影响，研究结果拓宽了我们对个人如何应对工作场所中的偏离的理解。