Psychological Entitlement and Unethical Workplace Behavior in Pakistan: The Role of Status Striving, Moral Disengagement, Organizational Identification, and Egoistic Deprivation

Abstract

Growing research has demonstrated that employees commonly engage in unethical behaviors that are intended to serve the interests of their organization. In this research, we examine the relationship between employee psychological entitlement (PE)- the belief that one should receive desirable treatment irrespective of whether it is deserved- and employee willingness to engage in unethical pro-organizational behavior (UPB). Drawing upon the conceptual framework proposed by Lee et. al. (2019), we included other factors such as Egoistic Deprivation in their modified model. We argue that driven by self-interest and the desire to look good in the eyes of others, highly entitled employees may be more willing to engage in UPB when their personal goals are aligned with those of their organizations. Moreover, we also explored whether this entitlement would also lead to counterproductive work behavior (CWB). We also proposed that entitlement also increase 1. status striving, 2. moral disengagement, and 3. strong identification with the organization. It also causes 4. egoistic deprivation – the sense of unfairly deprived in comparison to other individuals- when their perception of entitlement is not fulfilled. Empirical validity was established by conducting a survey using a close-ended questionnaire. Data was collected from 300 employees and analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis and structured equation modeling. The results suggested that PE has a significant and positive impact on Organizational identification, as well as egoistic deprivation among employees. It also seems to have a direct positive effect on UPB, on the contrary, a significant negative effect on CWB. Moreover, Egoistic deprivation seems to have a negative effect on UPE whereas, Organizational identification seems to have a positive impact. Against expectation, Status striving seems to have a significant negative impact on UPB. Moreover, Moral Disengagement seems to be affecting CWB positively, whereas Organizational identification has a negative effect o it. Organizational identification also seems to be affecting Status striving, Moreover, Organizational identification positively Moderates the effect of Psychological entitlement on Status striving in a way that incases organizational identification, the effect of Psychological entitlement on status striving is pronounced. Hence Organizational identification has a positive, and Egoistic deprivation has negative mediation on the effect of PE on UPB and CWB. Organizational identification also has an indirect mediation on PE UPB nexus through Status striving.