Perceived Supervisor Narcissism, Abusive Supervision, Subordinate Shame and Turnover Intention

Abstract

Although abusive supervision is a low base rate phenomenon, its detrimental effects on employees and organizations are well documented and the annual monetary loss is estimated to be over billions (Tepper, Moss, & Duffy, 2011). Beyond the consequences, research has called for more attention into the causes of abusive supervision. Integrating the theory of threatened egotism with insights from the identity threat framework, we examine the antecedent and consequences of abusive supervision by investigating the relationships among perceived supervisor narcissism, abusive supervision, and subordinate shame and turnover intentions. Additionally, we explore the moderating effect of subordinate organizational tenure. In a sample of 411 employees recruited from an online panel, we found support for our hypotheses. Theoretical and practical implications and future research are also discussed.