When and Why Does Prosocial Rule-Breaking Behavior Fall into Dilemma? A Moral Balancing Perspective

Abstract

Existing research has uniformly demonstrated that prosocial rule-breaking behavior is a double-edged sword. However, when and why it functions so is less studied. This article draws upon the moral balance model to propose that when the rules climate is high, employees who engage in prosocial rule-breaking behavior will subsequently perceive loss of moral credits, which in turn increases organizational citizenship behavior. Furthermore, when the rules climate is low, employees who engage in prosocial rule-breaking behavior will produce psychological entitlement, fueling counterproductive behavior. Results from an experiment and a multisource field study support our hypotheses. Taken together, our research provides new insight into understanding the perils and benefits of employees' prosocial rule-breaking behavior and reveals the importance of exploring organizational moral climate in this distinct process. Finally, implications for theory and implementation are discussed.