Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-mlc7c Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-10T16:20:46.128Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Abusive supervision and turnover intentions: The mediating role of perceived organisational support

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 August 2015

Jarrod M. Haar ,
Alida de Fluiter  and
David Brougham
Jarrod M. Haar*
Affiliation:
School of Management, College of Business (Albany), Massey University, North Shore City, New Zealand
Alida de Fluiter
Affiliation:
Department of Strategy and Human Resource Management, Waikato Management School, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
David Brougham
Affiliation:
School of Management, College of Business (Palmerston North), Massey University, New Zealand
*
Corresponding author: j.haar@massey.ac.nz
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Abusive supervision has a significant impact on employee turnover intentions. An underexplored factor in this area is the influence of support: we test perceived organisational support as a mediator. The present study utilised data from three distinct populations within New Zealand: (1) ethnically diverse blue-collar workers, (2) Māori (the indigenous people of New Zealand) employees, and (3) Chinese employees working within New Zealand. Structural equation modelling from the combined sample of 432 respondents (in total) showed that the indirect-effects model fit the data best, where abusive supervision was positively related to turnover intentions and negatively towards perceived organisational support; while support was negatively related to turnover intentions. Our findings bear out the notion that organisational support mediates the influence of abusive supervision on turnover intentions, highlighting the effect of organisational influence within this area. By exploring these relationships on three distinct populations, this study improves the generalisability of the related theories.

Keywords

abusive supervisionturnover intentionsperceived organisational support
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Management & Organization , Volume 22 , Issue 2 , March 2016 , pp. 139 - 153
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press and Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management 2015 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Allen, D. G., Shore, L. M., & Griffeth, R. W. (2003). The role of perceived organizational support and supportive human resource practices in the turnover process. Journal of Management, 29(1), 99–118.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Barton, C. (2005). Workplace bullying, the silent epidemic, The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved from http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10114849.Google Scholar
Bauer, D. J., Preacher, K. J., & Gil, K. M. (2006). Conceptualizing and testing random indirect effects and moderated mediation in multilevel models: New procedures and recommendations. Psychological Methods, 11, 142–163.Google Scholar
Beauducel, A., & Herzberg, P. Y. (2006). On the performance of maximum likelihood versus means and variance adjusted weighted least squares estimation in CFA. Structural Equation Modeling, 13(2), 186–203.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Boje, D. (1998). Nike, Greek goddess of victory or cruelty? Women’s stories of Asian factory life. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 11, 461–480.Google Scholar
Bowling, N. A., & Beehr, T. A. (2006). Workplace harassment from the victim’s perspective: a theoretical model and meta-analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology, 91(5), 998–1012.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Brougham, D. (2011). When the minority becomes the majority: The implications of New Zealand’s changing demographics. New Zealand Journal of Human Resource Management, 11(2), 78–89.Google Scholar
Cohen, A. (2007). One nation, many cultures: A cross-cultural study of the relationship between personal cultural values and commitment in the workplace to in-role performance and organizational citizenship behavior. Cross-Cultural Research, 41(3), 273–300.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dawley, D. D., Andrews, M. C., & Bucklew, N. S. (2008). Mentoring, supervisor support, and perceived organizational support: What matters most? Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 29(3), 235–247.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Detert, J. R., Trevino, L. K., Burris, E. R., & Andiappan, M. (2007). Managerial modes of influence and counterproductivity in organizations: A longitudinal business-unit-level investigation. Journal of Applied Psychology, 92(4), 993–1005.Google Scholar
Eisenberger, R., Armeli, S., Rexwinkel, B., & Lynch, P. D. (2001). Reciprocation of perceived organizational support. Journal of Applied Psychology, 86, 42–51.Google Scholar
Eisenberger, R., Cummings, J., Armeli, S., & Lynch, P. (1997). Perceived organizational support, discretionary treatment, and job satisfaction. Journal of Applied Psychology, 82(5), 812–820.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Eisenberger, R., Fasolo, P., & Davis-LaMastro, V. (1990). Perceived organizational support and employee diligence, commitment, and innovation. Journal of Applied Psychology, 75(1), 51–59.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Eisenberger, R., Huntington, R., Hutchison, S., & Sowa, D. (1986). Perceived organizational support. Journal of Applied Psychology, 71, 500–507.Google Scholar
Eisenberger, R., Lynch, P., Aselage, J., & Rohdieck, S. (2004). Who takes the most revenge? Individual differences in negative reciprocity norm endorsement. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 30(6), 787–799.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Eisenberger, R., Stinglhamber, F., Vandenberghe, C., Sucharski, I. L., & Rhoades, L. (2002). Perceived supervisor support: Contributions to perceived organizational support and employee retention. Journal of Applied Psychology, 87(3), 565–573.Google Scholar
Emerson, R. M. (1976). Social exchange theory. Annual Review of Sociology, 2, 335–362.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gillies, A. (2013). ‘Insidious’ medical workplace bullying studied, The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved from http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10876971.Google Scholar
Gonzalez-Morales, G., Kernan, M., Becker, T. E., & Eisenberger, R. (2012). Supervisory training to increase employee perceptions of support. Poster presented at the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology Annual Conference, April, San Diego, California.Google Scholar
Grace, J. B., & Bollen, K. A. (2005). Interpreting the results from multiple regression and structural equation models. Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America, 86, 283–295.Google Scholar
Haar, J. M. (2006). Challenge and hindrance stressors in New Zealand: Exploring social exchange theory outcomes. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 17(11), 1942–1950.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Haar, J. M., & Spell, C. S. (2004). Programme knowledge and value of work-family practices and organizational commitment. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 15(6), 1040–1055.Google Scholar
Haar, J. M., Russo, M., Sune, A., & Ollier-Malaterre, A. (2014). Outcomes of work-life balance on job satisfaction, life satisfaction and mental health: A study across seven cultures. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 85(3), 361–373.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hair, J. F., Black, W. C., Babin, B. J., & Anderson, R. E. (2010). Multivariate data analysis (7th edn, New Jersey, USA: Prentice Hall.Google Scholar
Harris, K. J., Kacmar, K. M., & Zivnuska, S. (2007). An investigation of abusive supervision as a predictor of performance and the meaning of work as a moderator of the relationship. The Leadership Quarterly, 18, 252–263.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Harvey, P., Stoner, J., Hochwarter, W., & Kacmar, C. (2007). Coping with abusive supervision: The neutralizing effects of ingratiation and positive affect on negative employee outcomes. The Leadership Quarterly, 18(3), 264–280.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hershcovis, M. S., Turner, N., Barling, J., Arnold, K. A., Dupré, K. E., Inness, M., & Sivanathan, N. (2007). Predicting workplace aggression: A meta-analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology, 92(1), 228–238.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hodson, R., Roscigno, V., & Lopez, S. (2006). Chaos and the abuse of power: Workplace bullying in organizational and interactional context. Work and Occupations, 33, 382–416.Google Scholar
Hoobler, J. M., & Brass, D. J. (2006). Abusive supervision and family undermining as displaced aggression. Journal of Applied Psychology, 91(5), 1125–1133.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hoyle, R. H. (Ed.) 1995). Structural equation modeling: concepts, issues, and applications . Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.Google Scholar
Hueber, A. (2012). Workplace bullying costs millions, The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved from http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10840262.Google Scholar
Judd, C. M., & Kenny, D. A. (1981). Process analysis: Estimating mediation in treatment evaluations. Evaluation Review, 5, 602–619.Google Scholar
Keashly, L. (1998). Emotional abuse in the workplace: Conceptual and empirical issues. Journal of Emotional Abuse, 1, 85–117.Google Scholar
Keashly, L., Trott, V., & MacLean, L. M. (1994). Abusive behavior in the workplace: A preliminary investigation. Violence and Victims, 9, 341–357.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kelloway, E. K., Gottlieb, B. H., & Barham, L. (1999). The source, nature, and direction of work and family conflict: A longitudinal investigation. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 4(4), 337–346.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kenny, D. A. (2008). Reflections on mediation. Business Research Methods, 11(2), 353–358.Google Scholar
Killoren, R. (2014). The toll of workplace bullying. Research Management Review, 20(1), 1–13.Google Scholar
Konvosky, M., & Pugh, S. (1994). Citizenship behaviour and social exchange. Academy of Management Journal, 37, 656–669.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kossek, E. E., Pichler, S., Bodner, T., & Hammer, L. B. (2011). Workplace social support and work–family conflict: A meta-analysis clarifying the influence of general and work–family-specific supervisor and organizational support. Personnel Psychology, 64(2), 289–313.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lambert, S. J. (2000). Added benefits: The link between work-life benefits and organizational citizenship behavior. Academy of Management Journal, 43(5), 801–815.Google Scholar
Liu, D., Liao, H., & Loi, R. (2012). The dark side of leadership: A three-level investigation of the cascading effect of abusive supervision on employee creativity. Academy of Management Journal, 55(5), 1187–1212.Google Scholar
Loi, R., Hang-yue, N., & Foley, S. (2006). Linking employees’ justice perceptions to organizational commitment and intention to leave: The mediating role of perceived organizational support. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 79, 101–120.Google Scholar
Maertz, C. P. Jr, Griffeth, R. W., Campbell, N. S., & Allen, D. G. (2007). The effects of perceived organizational support and perceived supervisor support on employee turnover. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 28(8), 1059–1075.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Masterson, S. S., Lewis, K., Goldman, B. M., & Taylor, M. S. (2000). Integrating justice and social exchange: The differing effects of fair procedures and treatment on work relationships. Academy of Management Journal, 43(4), 738–748.Google Scholar
Mitchell, M. S., & Ambrose, M. L. (2007). Abusive supervision and workplace deviance and the moderating effects of negative reciprocity beliefs. Journal of Applied Psychology, 92(4), 1159–1168.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Moorman, R. H., Blakely, G. L., & Niehoff, B. P. (1998). Does perceived organizational support mediate the relationship between procedural justice and organizational citizenship behaviour? Academy of Management Journal, 41(3), 351–357.Google Scholar
Nuzzo, R. (2014). Scientific method: Statistical errors. Nature, 506, 150–152.Google Scholar
Park, H. J., Gardner, T. M., & Wright, P. M. (2004). HR practices or HR capabilities: Which matters? Insight from the Asia Pacific region. Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources, 42, 260–273.Google Scholar
Podsakoff, P. M., MacKenzie, S. B., Lee, J. Y., & Podsakoff, N.P. (2003). Common method biases in behavioral research: A critical review of the literature and recommended remedies. Journal of Applied Psychology, 88(5), 879–903.Google Scholar
Podsakoff, P. M., & Organ, D. W. (1986). Self-reports in organizational research: Problems and prospects. Journal of Management, 12, 531–544.Google Scholar
Rayner, C., Hoel, H., & Cooper, C. (2002). Workplace bullying: What we know, who is to blame and what can we do?. London: Taylor & Francis.Google Scholar
Rhoades, L., & Eisenberger, R. (2002). Perceived organizational support: A review of the literature. Journal of Applied Psychology, 87(4), 698–714.Google Scholar
Rhoades, L., Eisenberger, R., & Armeli, S. (2001). Affective commitment to the organization: The contribution of perceived organizational support. Journal of Applied Psychology, 86(5), 825–836.Google Scholar
Riggle, R. J., Edmondson, D. R., & Hansen, J. D. (2009). A meta-analysis of the relationship between perceived organizational support and job outcomes: 20 years of research. Journal of Business Research, 62(10), 1027–1030.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Roche, M., Haar, J. M., & Luthans, F. (2014). Mindfulness, psychological capital and leader wellbeing. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 19(4), 476–489.Google Scholar
Schyns, B., & Schilling, J. (2012). How bad are the effects of bad leaders? A meta-analysis of destructive leadership and its outcomes. The Leadership Quarterly, 24(1), 138–158.Google Scholar
Shoss, M. K., Eisenberger, R., Restubog, S. L. D., & Zagenczyk, T. J. (2013). Blaming the organization for abusive supervision: The roles of perceived organizational support and supervisor’s organizational embodiment. Journal of Applied Psychology, 98(1), 158–168.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Snell, R. S., Wong, M. M., Chak, A. M., & Hui, S. S. (2013). Representational predicaments at work: How they are experienced and why they may happen. Asia Pacific Journal of Management, 30(1), 251–279.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Spector, P. E. (2006). Method variance in organizational research. Organizational Research Methods, 9(2), 221–232.Google Scholar
Tapaleao, V. (2010). Bullying thriving in the workplace, The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved from http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10638499.Google Scholar
Tepper, B. J. (2000). Consequences of abusive supervision. Academy of Management Journal, 43, 178–190.Google Scholar
Tepper, B. J., Uhl-Bien, M., Kohut, G. F., Rogelberg, S. G., Lockhart, D. E., & Ensley, M. D. (2006). Subordinates’ resistance and managers’ evaluations of subordinates’ performance. Journal of Management, 32(2), 185–209.Google Scholar
Tepper, B. J. (2007). Abusive supervision in work organizations: Review, synthesis, and research agenda. Journal of Management, 33(3), 261–289.Google Scholar
Tepper, B. J., Duffy, M. K., Hoobler, J. M., & Ensley, M. D. (2004). Moderators of the relationship between co-workers’ organizational citizenship behavior and fellow employees’ attitudes. Journal of Applied Psychology, 89(3), 455–465.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vaughan, G. M., & Hogg, M. A. (2005). Introduction to social psychology (3rd edn, Sydney, Australia: Pearson Prentice Hall.Google Scholar
Waite, M., & Hawker, S. (2009). Compact oxford dictionary and thesaurus (3rd edn, Oxford, Great Britain: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Waldman, J. D., Kelly, F., Arora, S., & Smith, H. L. (2004). The shocking cost of turnover in health care. Health Care Management Review, 29(1), 2–7.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Walumbwa, F. O., Cropanzano, R., & Hartnell, C. A. (2009). Organizational justice, voluntary learning behavior, and job performance: A test of the mediating effects of identification and leader-member exchange. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 30(8), 1103–1126.Google Scholar
Wei, F., & Si, S. (2013). Tit for tat? Abusive supervision and counterproductive work behaviors: The moderating effects of locus of control and perceived mobility. Asia Pacific Journal of Management, 30(1), 281–296.Google Scholar
Williams, L. J., Vandenberg, R. J., & Edwards, J. R. (2009). Structural equation modelling in management research: A guide for improved analysis. Academy of Management Annuals, 3(1), 543–604.Google Scholar
Zellars, K. L., Tepper, B. J., & Duffy, M. K. (2002). Abusive supervision and subordinates’ organizational citizenship behavior. Journal of Applied Psychology, 86, 1068–1076.Google Scholar