Detriments of exploitative leadership in the hotel industry: role of conspiracy beliefs and forgiveness climate
International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management
ISSN: 0959-6119
Article publication date: 3 February 2023
Issue publication date: 9 June 2023
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the indirect relationship between exploitative leadership (EL) and psychological distress through emotional complexity. This study also predicted that belief in organizational conspiracy theories moderates the association between EL and emotional complexity. Furthermore, forgiveness climate acts as a boundary condition between emotional complexity and psychological distress.
Design/methodology/approach
The respondents of this time-lagged study (N = 325) were working in five-star and four-star hotels in three cities located in Pakistan, namely, Rawalpindi, Islamabad and Lahore. Data were collected through the questionnaire.
Findings
Results revealed that exploitative leaders cause emotional complexity among hotel employees, enhancing their psychological distress. The study further showed that hotel employees who believe in organizational conspiracy theories are more likely to experience emotional complexity under an exploitative leader. Additionally, the perceived forgiveness climate moderates the relationship between emotional complexity and psychological distress.
Practical implications
Hotel managers should avoid hiring those candidates for leadership positions who have a tendency to engage in exploitative behavior. Managers should maintain regular communication with hotel workers to minimize beliefs in organizational conspiracy theories. Managers should also develop a forgiveness climate to minimize psychological distress among hotel employees.
Originality/value
It is one of the few studies investigating the negative consequences of EL, particularly in the hospitality industry. This study has also identified the underlying causes of psychological distress among hotel workers.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
Declarations of interest: none.
This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.
Ethical procedure: This manuscript has been prepared according to the generally accepted ethical standards of conduct, and the following is being certified/declared true.
• As a researcher and along with co-author of the concerned field, the paper has been submitted with full responsibility, following the due ethical procedure, and there is no duplicate publication, fraud, plagiarism or concerns about animal or human experimentation.
The International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) constitutes departmental Ethics Approval Committees. The FMS Research Ethics Board reviewed the “Detriments of Exploitative Leadership in the Hotel Industry: Role of Conspiracy Beliefs and Forgiveness Climate” research proposal and considers the procedures, as described by the applicant, to conform to the University’s ethical standards and IIUI guidelines. Moreover, the participation in the survey was voluntary and study participants were first explained about the details of the project and it was assured to them that their responses will be kept in strict anonymity and will be reported as aggregate results.
A disclosure/conflict of interest statement:
• None of the authors of this paper have a financial or personal relationship with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence or bias the content of the paper.
• It is to specifically state that “No competing interests are at stake and there is no conflict of interest” with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence or bias the content of the paper.
Citation
Fatima, T. and Majeed, M. (2023), "Detriments of exploitative leadership in the hotel industry: role of conspiracy beliefs and forgiveness climate", International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, Vol. 35 No. 7, pp. 2624-2644. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCHM-12-2021-1519
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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