Research on the Relationship Between Managerial Pro-Social Rule Breaking and Employees' Workplace Deviant Behavior from the Broken Windows Effect Perspective

Xiaoguang Liu ¹, Wenping Liu ¹, Safi Rubuye Deborah ¹

⁰School of Economics and Management, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan 030024, China.

Behavioral Sciences (basel, Switzerland) +

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March 28, 2025

View abstract on PubMed

Summary

Managerial pro-social rule breaking (MPSRB), though altruistic, can increase workplace deviance by fostering organizational anomie. Normative conflict influences this effect, highlighting MPSRB's dark side for businesses.

Area Of Science

Organizational Behavior
Business Ethics
Social Psychology

Background

Managerial pro-social rule breaking (MPSRB) is often viewed positively, but its negative consequences are under-explored.
Existing research overlooks the potential for MPSRB to contribute to negative employee behaviors.
This study addresses the gap by examining the detrimental effects of MPSRB in organizational settings.

Purpose Of The Study

To investigate the mechanism through which MPSRB influences employee workplace deviance.
To explore the moderating role of normative conflict on the relationship between MPSRB and organizational anomie.
To introduce organizational anomie as a key mediator in the MPSRB-deviance link.

Main Methods

An experimental study was conducted to establish causal relationships.
A time-lagged questionnaire survey was employed to examine the proposed model in a real-world context.
Data were collected from employees in mainland China.

Main Results

MPSRB positively impacts employees' perception of organizational anomie.
Organizational anomie mediates the relationship between MPSRB and employee workplace deviance.
Normative conflict moderates the effect of MPSRB on organizational anomie and negatively moderates the indirect effect via anomie.

Conclusions

MPSRB can have a 'dark side,' leading to increased employee deviance through organizational anomie.
Normative conflict plays a crucial role in moderating the negative outcomes of MPSRB.
Findings offer practical insights for organizations to mitigate employee deviance stemming from MPSRB.

Keywords:

broken windows effect employees’ workplace deviant behavior managerial pro-social rule breaking normative conflict organizational anomie

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