How and when does abusive supervision affect hospitality employees’ service sabotage?

Abstract

This study examines how and when abusive supervisor behaviors can motivate hospitality employees to engage in service sabotage. Using the data collected from a two-wave survey, administered to 183 hospitality employees, we uncovered employees’ perception of psychological contract breach as a feasible mediator between abusive supervision and service sabotage. In addition, we found that the extent to which employees perceive their supervisors to be representative of the employing organization (i.e., supervisor’s organizational embodiment or SOE) moderates the relationship between abusive supervision and psychological contract breach. Taken together, the research model presents that the effect of abusive supervision on service sabotage through psychological contract breach is stronger when SOE is high. We discussed theoretical and practical implications of study findings for hospitality academics and practitioners.