The effect of job insecurity on counterproductive work behavior: The mediating role of moral disengagement and moderating role of ethical climate and individual differences

The recent economic crisis and the dissolution of the permanent employment contract between individuals and organizations has made job insecurity (JI) an extremely relevant topic for academics and practitioners. In the proposed study, we employ social cognitive theory (Bandura, 1986; 1991; 2001) to develop a conceptual model of the relationship between job insecurity and employee counterproductive work behavior (CWB). Specifically, we propose that JI increases individuals’ propensity to perform CWBs by disengaging the self-regulatory processes that ordinarily sanction and prevent counterproductive behavior. We also suggest that aspects of the organizational context (organizational moral climate) and the individual experiencing the job insecurity (emotional intelligence and resistance to change) will influence the extent to which job- insecure individuals disengage from their organizations and hence their level of CWB. We conclude by describing a plan to test our model in Chinese organizations.