Research on the Relationship Between High-Commitment Work Systems and Employees' Unethical Pro-organizational Behavior: The Moderating Role of Balanced Reciprocity Beliefs

Min Zhang; Lijing Zhao; Zhihong Chen

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.776904

Research on the Relationship Between High-Commitment Work Systems and Employees' Unethical Pro-organizational Behavior: The Moderating Role of Balanced Reciprocity Beliefs

Front Psychol. 2021 Dec 13:12:776904. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.776904. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Min Zhang¹, Lijing Zhao², Zhihong Chen³

Affiliations

¹ Economics and Management School, Nantong University, Nantong, China.
² Business School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.
³ Institute for International Students, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.

Abstract

Based on the social exchange theory, this paper explores the indirect impact of high-commitment work systems on employees' unethical pro-organizational behavior. Through the analysis of multisource data from 139 companies (including 139 human resource managers and 966 employees), a multilevel structuring equation model is used to verify the study's hypotheses. The research results show the following findings: (1) High-commitment work systems are significantly positively related to employees' unethical pro-organizational behavior. (2) High-commitment work systems have indirect effects on the employees' unethical pro-organizational behavior through the relational psychological contract. The relational psychological contract plays a mediating role in this process. (3) Employees' balanced reciprocity beliefs significantly enhance the positive effect of relational psychological contracts on employees' unethical pro-organizational behavior. It can also positively moderate the mediating effect of high-commitment work systems that affect employees' unethical pro-organizational behavior via relational psychological contract.

Keywords: balanced reciprocity; high-commitment work systems; relational psychological contract; social exchange; unethical pro-organizational behavior.