Unravelling electricity theft whistleblowing antecedents using the theory of planned behavior and norm activation model

Abstract

Electricity theft is a challenge for developing countries including Ghana. Given its detrimental impacts on utility companies’ fiscal outlook and investment attractiveness, countervailing measures have been instituted. However, these have yielded suboptimal outcomes and thus excited whistleblowing discourses. Therefore, the current study engages a behavior paradigm to probe individual electricity theft whistleblowing intention behavior. With 471 responses, the results from structural equation modelling affirmed a positive relationship between awareness of consequences and attitude. Also, a positive relationship between awareness of consequences and subjective norm was confirmed. Moreover, whereas the positive relationship between subjective norm and attitude was verified, the positive relationships between perceived behavior control and personal norm was established. Attitude was also certified to be positively related to whistleblowing intention. In addition, perceived behavior control and personal norm were confirmed to be positively related to intention. Ascription of consequences was also revealed to be significantly related to personal norm. Similarly, ascription of responsibility was confirmed to moderate the relationships between attitude and intention, and personal norm and intention. In addition to demonstrating the appropriateness, applicability and efficacy of the proposed model in predicting electricity theft whistleblowing intention, the study outcomes form grounds for instituting anti-theft policy interventions.