Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Auxiliaries to Abusive Supervisors: The Spillover Effects of Peer Mistreatment on Employee Performance

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Business Ethics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

A Correction to this article was published on 16 March 2021

This article has been updated

Abstract

An accumulating amount of research has documented the harmful effects of abusive supervision on either its victims or third parties (peer abusive supervision). The abusive supervision literature, however, neglects to investigate the spillover effects of abusive supervision through third-party employees’ (i.e., peers’) mistreatment actions toward victims. Drawing on social learning theory, we argue that third parties learn mistreatment behaviors from abusive leaders and then themselves impose peer harassment and peer ostracism on victims, thereby negatively affecting victims’ performance. Further, we posit that, if a victim has a proactive personality, this will weaken these indirect, negative effects. We conducted two studies, both with three-wave longitudinal data, to verify the hypotheses. The results of Study 1 evidence the significant indirect effects of abusive supervision on employee creative performance via both peer harassment and peer ostracism. Contrary to our moderation hypothesis, the analysis shows that victims’ proactive personality strengthens rather than weakens the negative indirect effects of peer harassment. Study 2 generally replicated the results of Study 1 with employee’s objective job performance as outcome. Our research contributes to the abusive supervision literature by highlighting a social learning process of third-party peer mistreatment, suggesting a spillover channel of abusive supervision on the victim’s performance.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

Change history

References

  • Aiken, L. S., West, S. G., & Reno, R. R. (1991). Multiple regression: Testing and interpreting interactions: Sage.

  • Altura, T. G., Rao, A. N., & Virick, M. (2020). Proactive personality as a double-edged sword: The mediating role of work–family conflict on employee outcomes. Journal of Career Development, 0894845319899984.

  • Amabile, T. M. (2018). Creativity in context: Update to the social psychology of creativity: Routledge.

  • Amabile, T. M., Hadley, C. N., & Kramer, S. J. (2002). Creativity under the gun. Harvard Business Review, 80, 52–63.

    Google Scholar 

  • Andersson, L. M., & Pearson, C. M. (1999). Tit for tat? The spiraling effect of incivility in the workplace. Academy of management review, 24(3), 452–471.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Aryee, S., Chen, Z. X., Sun, L.-Y., & Debrah, Y. A. (2007). Antecedents and outcomes of abusive supervision: Test of a trickle-down model. Journal of Applied Psychology, 92(1), 191.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bai, Y., Lin, L., & Li, P. P. (2016). How to enable employee creativity in a team context: A cross-level mediating process of transformational leadership. Journal of Business Research, 69(9), 3240–3250.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bai, Y., Lin, L., & Liu, J. T. (2019). Leveraging the employee voice: A multi-level social learning perspective of ethical leadership. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 30(12), 1869–1901.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Balliet, D., & Ferris, D. L. (2013). Ostracism and prosocial behavior: A social dilemma perspective. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 120(2), 298–308.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavioral change. Psychological review, 84(2), 191.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bandura, A., & Walters, R. H. (1977). Social learning theory (Vol. 1): Prentice-hall Englewood Cliffs, NJ.

  • Bateman, T. S., & Crant, J. M. (1993). The proactive component of organizational behavior: A measure and correlates. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 14(2), 103–118.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bin, D., Sok, K. M., Sok, P., & Mao, S. (2020). The tipping point: mitigating the curvilinear effect of frontline service employee's perception of leadership humility on frontline service performance. Journal of Service Theory and Practice.

  • Blader, S. L., Wiesenfeld, B. M., Fortin, M., & Wheeler-Smith, S. L. (2013). Fairness lies in the heart of the beholder: How the social emotions of third parties influence reactions to injustice. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 121(1), 62–80.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blau, P. (2017). Exchange and power in social life: Routledge.

  • Bolger, N., & Zuckerman, A. (1995). A framework for studying personality in the stress process. Journal of personality and social psychology, 69(5), 890.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boren, C. (2013). Dolphins bullied Jonathan Martin, report says. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2013/11/01/dolphins-bullied-jonathan-martin-report-says/.

  • 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.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen, T., Li, F., Chen, X.-P., & Ou, Z. (2018). Innovate or die: How should knowledge-worker teams respond to technological turbulence? Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 149, 1–16.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cheng, B. (1995). Hierarchical structure and Chinese organizational behavior. Indigenous Psychological Research in Chinese Societies, 3, 142–219.

    Google Scholar 

  • Christensen-Salem, A., Walumbwa, F. O., Babalola, M. T., Guo, L., & Misati, E. (2020). A multilevel analysis of the relationship between ethical leadership and ostracism: The roles of relational climate, employee mindfulness, and work unit structure. Journal of Business Ethics, 1–20.

  • Crant, J. M. (2000). Proactive behavior in organizations. Journal of Management, 26(3), 435–462.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Creasy, T., & Carnes, A. (2017). The effects of workplace bullying on team learning, innovation and project success as mediated through virtual and traditional team dynamics. International Journal of Project Management, 35(6), 964–977.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cropanzano, R., & Mitchell, M. S. (2005). Social exchange theory: An interdisciplinary review. Journal of Management, 31(6), 874–900.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eissa, G., Lester, S. W., & Gupta, R. (2019). Interpersonal deviance and abusive supervision: The mediating role of supervisor negative emotions and the moderating role of subordinate organizational citizenship behavior. Journal of Business Ethics, 1–18.

  • Farh, C. I., & Chen, Z. (2014). Beyond the individual victim: Multilevel consequences of abusive supervision in teams. Journal of Applied Psychology, 99(6), 1074.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Farmer, S. M., Tierney, P., & Kung-Mcintyre, K. (2003). Employee creativity in Taiwan: An application of role identity theory. Academy of management journal, 46(5), 618–630.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ferris, D. L., Brown, D. J., Berry, J. W., & Lian, H. (2008). The development and validation of the Workplace Ostracism Scale. Journal of Applied Psychology, 93(6), 1348.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ferris, D. L., Chen, M., & Lim, S. (2017). Comparing and contrasting workplace ostracism and incivility. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 4, 315–338.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ferris, D. L., Yan, M., Lim, V. K., Chen, Y., & Fatimah, S. (2016). An approach–avoidance framework of workplace aggression. Academy of management journal, 59(5), 1777–1800.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Folger, R., & Cropanzano, R. (1998). Organizational justice and human resource management (Vol. 7): Sage.

  • Folger, R., & Cropanzano, R. (2001). Fairness theory: Justice as accountability. Advances in organizational justice, 1, 1–55.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frone, M. R. (2000). Interpersonal conflict at work and psychological outcomes: Testing a model among young workers. Journal of occupational health psychology, 5(2), 246.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goldstein, J. H. (1975). Aggression and crimes of violence: Oxford U Press.

  • Gong, Y., Huang, J.-C., & Farh, J.-L. (2009). Employee learning orientation, transformational leadership, and employee creativity: The mediating role of employee creative self-efficacy. Academy of management journal, 52(4), 765–778.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grant, A. M. (2017). Originals: How non-conformists move the world: Penguin.

  • Guo, L., Zhao, H., Cheng, K., & Luo, J. (2020). The relationship between abusive supervision and unethical pro-organizational behavior: linear or curvilinear? Leadership & Organization Development Journal.

  • Han, G. H., Harms, P., & Bai, Y. (2017). Nightmare bosses: The impact of abusive supervision on employees’ sleep, emotions, and creativity. Journal of Business Ethics, 145(1), 21–31.

    Article  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(3), 252–263.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harrison, D. A., Newman, D. A., & Roth, P. L. (2006). How important are job attitudes? Meta-analytic comparisons of integrative behavioral outcomes and time sequences. Academy of management journal, 49(2), 305–325.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harvey, S., Blouin, C., & Stout, D. (2006). Proactive personality as a moderator of outcomes for young workers experiencing conflict at work. Personality and individual differences, 40(5), 1063–1074.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hayes, A. F. (2017). Introduction to mediation, moderation, and conditional process analysis: A regression-based approach: Guilford publications.

  • Hayes, A. F., & Rockwood, N. J. (2020). Conditional process analysis: Concepts, computation, and advances in the modeling of the contingencies of mechanisms. American Behavioral Scientist, 64(1), 19–54.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hitlan, R. T., Cliffton, R. J., & DeSoto, M. C. (2006). Perceived exclusion in the workplace: The moderating effects of gender on work-related attitudes and psychological health. North American Journal of Psychology, 8(2), 217–236.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoel, H., & Cooper, C. L. (2000). Destructive conflict and bullying at work: Manchester School of Management, UMIST Manchester.

  • Hoyt, C. L., & Murphy, S. E. (2016). Managing to clear the air: Stereotype threat, women, and leadership. The leadership quarterly, 27(3), 387–399.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hur, W.-M., Moon, T., & Jun, J.-K. (2016). The effect of workplace incivility on service employee creativity: the mediating role of emotional exhaustion and intrinsic motivation. Journal of Services Marketing.

  • Hurst, C., Simon, L., Jung, Y., & Pirouz, D. (2019). Are “bad” employees happier under bad bosses? Differing effects of abusive supervision on low and high primary psychopathy employees. Journal of Business Ethics, 158(4), 1149–1164.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jahanzeb, S., Fatima, T., Bouckenooghe, D., & Bashir, F. (2019). The knowledge hiding link: A moderated mediation model of how abusive supervision affects employee creativity. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 28(6), 810–819.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jetten, J., Branscombe, N. R., Schmitt, M. T., & Spears, R. (2001). Rebels with a cause: Group identification as a response to perceived discrimination from the mainstream. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 27(9), 1204–1213.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jian, Z., Kwan, H. K., Qiu, Q., Liu, Z. Q., & Yim, F. H. K. (2012). Abusive supervision and frontline employees’ service performance. The Service Industries Journal, 32(5), 683–698.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jiang, W., Gu, Q., & Tang, T.L.-P. (2019). Do victims of supervisor bullying suffer from poor creativity? Social cognitive and social comparison perspectives. Journal of Business Ethics, 157(3), 865–884.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Khan, A. N., Khan, N. A., Bodla, A. A., & Gul, S. (2019). Impact of psychopathy on employee creativity via work engagement and negative socioemotional behavior in public health sector. Personnel Review.

  • Kim, T.-Y., Cable, D. M., & Kim, S.-P. (2005). Socialization tactics, employee proactivity, and person-organization fit. Journal of Applied Psychology, 90(2), 232.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee, J., & Jensen, J. M. (2014). The effects of active constructive and passive corrective leadership on workplace incivility and the mediating role of fairness perceptions. Group & Organization Management, 39(4), 416–443.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee, S., Yun, S., & Srivastava, A. (2013). Evidence for a curvilinear relationship between abusive supervision and creativity in South Korea. The leadership quarterly, 24(5), 724–731.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lian, H., Ferris, D. L., & Brown, D. J. (2012). Does power distance exacerbate or mitigate the effects of abusive supervision? It depends on the outcome. Journal of Applied Psychology, 97(1), 107.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu, D., Gong, Y., Zhou, J., & Huang, J.-C. (2017). Human resource systems, employee creativity, and firm innovation: The moderating role of firm ownership. Academy of management journal, 60(3), 1164–1188.

    Article  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.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu, W., Zhang, P., Liao, J., Hao, P., & Mao, J. (2016). Abusive supervision and employee creativity. Management Decision.

  • Malik, M. S., Sattar, S., Younas, S., & Nawaz, M. K. (2019). The workplace deviance perspective of employee responses to workplace bullying: The moderating effect of Toxic Leadership and mediating effect of emotional exhaustion. Review of Integrative Business and Economics Research, 8(1), 33–50.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marsh, H. W., Lüdtke, O., Robitzsch, A., Trautwein, U., Asparouhov, T., Muthén, B., et al. (2009). Doubly-latent models of school contextual effects: Integrating multilevel and structural equation approaches to control measurement and sampling error. Multivariate Behavioral Research, 44(6), 764–802.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mawritz, M. B., Mayer, D. M., Hoobler, J. M., Wayne, S. J., & Marinova, S. V. (2012). A trickle-down model of abusive supervision. Personnel Psychology, 65(2), 325–357.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mitchell, M. S., Vogel, R., & Folger, R. (2012). Beyond the consequences to the victim: The impact of abusive supervision on third-party observers (pp. 23–43). Handbook of unethical work behavior: Implications for well-being.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mitchell, M. S., Vogel, R. M., & Folger, R. (2015). Third parties’ reactions to the abusive supervision of coworkers. Journal of Applied Psychology, 100(4), 1040.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Muthén, B., & Asparouhov, T. (2012). Bayesian structural equation modeling: a more flexible representation of substantive theory. Psychological methods, 17(3), 313.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ng, T. W., & Feldman, D. C. (2012). A comparison of self-ratings and non-self-report measures of employee creativity. Human Relations, 65(8), 1021–1047.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nielsen, M. B., & Einarsen, S. (2012). Outcomes of exposure to workplace bullying: A meta-analytic review. Work & Stress, 26(4), 309–332.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • O’Reilly, J., Robinson, S. L., Berdahl, J. L., & Banki, S. (2015). Is negative attention better than no attention? The comparative effects of ostracism and harassment at work. Organization Science, 26(3), 774–793.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ogunfowora, B., Weinhardt, J. M., & Hwang, C. C. (2019). Abusive Supervision Differentiation and Employee Outcomes: The Roles of Envy, Resentment, and Insecure Group Attachment. Journal of Management, 0149206319862024.

  • Pan, S.-Y., & Lin, K. J. (2018). Who suffers when supervisors are unhappy? The roles of leader–member exchange and abusive supervision. Journal of Business Ethics, 151(3), 799–811.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Park, J. H., & DeFrank, R. S. (2018). The role of proactive personality in the stressor–strain model. International Journal of Stress Management, 25(1), 44.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parker, S. K., Bindl, U. K., & Strauss, K. (2010). Making things happen: A model of proactive motivation. Journal of Management, 36(4), 827–856.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parker, S. K., & Sprigg, C. A. (1999). Minimizing strain and maximizing learning: the role of job demands, job control, and proactive personality. Journal of Applied Psychology, 84(6), 925.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parker, S. K., Wall, T. D., & Cordery, J. L. (2001). Future work design research and practice: Towards an elaborated model of work design. Journal of occupational and organizational psychology, 74(4), 413–440.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parker, S. K., Williams, H. M., & Turner, N. (2006). Modeling the antecedents of proactive behavior at work. Journal of Applied Psychology, 91(3), 636.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peng, A. C., & Zeng, W. (2017). Workplace ostracism and deviant and helping behaviors: The moderating role of 360 degree feedback. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 38(6), 833–855.

    Article  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.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Porath, C. L., & Erez, A. (2009). Overlooked but not untouched: How rudeness reduces onlookers’ performance on routine and creative tasks. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 109(1), 29–44.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pradhan, S., Srivastava, A., & Mishra, D. K. (2019). Abusive supervision and knowledge hiding: the mediating role of psychological contract violation and supervisor directed aggression. Journal of Knowledge Management.

  • Preacher, K. J., & Selig, J. P. (2012). Advantages of Monte Carlo confidence intervals for indirect effects. Communication Methods and Measures, 6(2), 77–98.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Priesemuth, M. (2013). Stand up and speak up: Employees’ prosocial reactions to observed abusive supervision. Business & society, 52(4), 649–665.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Priesemuth, M., Schminke, M., Ambrose, M. L., & Folger, R. (2014). Abusive supervision climate: A multiple-mediation model of its impact on group outcomes. Academy of management journal, 57(5), 1513–1534.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Qiao, Y., Zhang, Z., & Jia, M. (2019). Their Pain, Our Pleasure: How and When Peer Abusive Supervision Leads to Third Parties’ Schadenfreude and Work Engagement. Journal of Business Ethics, 1–17.

  • Raudenbush, S. W. (2004). HLM 6: Hierarchical linear and nonlinear modeling: Scientific Software International.

  • Richard, O. C., Boncoeur, O. D., Chen, H., & Ford, D. L. (2018). Supervisor abuse effects on subordinate turnover intentions and subsequent interpersonal aggression: The role of power-distance orientation and perceived human resource support climate. Journal of Business Ethics, 1–15.

  • Robinson, S. L., O’Reilly, J., & Wang, W. (2013). Invisible at work: An integrated model of workplace ostracism. Journal of Management, 39(1), 203–231.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rubin, M., Paolini, S., Subašić, E., & Giacomini, A. (2019). A confirmatory study of the relations between workplace sexism, sense of belonging, mental health, and job satisfaction among women in male-dominated industries. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 49(5), 267–282.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schneider, B., Yost, A. B., Kropp, A., Kind, C., & Lam, H. (2018). Workforce engagement: What it is, what drives it, and why it matters for organizational performance. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 39(4), 462–480.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Seibert, S. E., Crant, J. M., & Kraimer, M. L. (1999). Proactive personality and career success. Journal of Applied Psychology, 84(3), 416.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shpigel, B. (2014). 'A classic case of bullying' on the Dolphins, Report Finds. https://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/15/sports/football/investigation-finds-pattern-of-harassment-in-dolphins-locker-room.html.

  • Sutton, R. I. (2007). The no asshole rule: Building a civilized workplace and surviving one that isn't: Business Plus.

  • Tepper, B. J. (2000). Consequences of abusive supervision. Academy of Management Journal, 43(2), 178–190.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tepper, B. J., Moss, S. E., & Duffy, M. K. (2011). Predictors of abusive supervision: Supervisor perceptions of deep-level dissimilarity, relationship conflict, and subordinate performance. Academy of management journal, 54(2), 279–294.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thompson, J. A. (2005). Proactive personality and job performance: A social capital perspective. Journal of Applied Psychology, 90(5), 1011.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Trevino, L. K., Hartman, L. P., & Brown, M. (2000). Moral person and moral manager: How executives develop a reputation for ethical leadership. California management review, 42(4), 128–142.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tu, M.-H., Bono, J. E., Shum, C., & LaMontagne, L. (2018). Breaking the cycle: The effects of role model performance and ideal leadership self-concepts on abusive supervision spillover. Journal of Applied Psychology, 103(7), 689.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tucker, S., Turner, N., Barling, J., & McEvoy, M. (2010). Transformational leadership and childrens’ aggression in team settings: A short-term longitudinal study. The leadership quarterly, 21(3), 389–399.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tullia, T. L. (2017). Capitalizing on orthodox masculinity: the NFL, capitalism, and the Pedagogy of becoming'controlled fury' Doctoral disertation, Texas Woman's University, http://hdl.handle.net/11274/9337.

  • Walasek, L., Matthews, W. J., & Rakow, T. (2015). The need to belong and the value of belongings: Does ostracism change the subjective value of personal possessions? Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics, 58, 195–204.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • White, R. W. (1959). Motivation reconsidered: The concept of competence. Psychological Review, 66(5), 297.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Williams, K. D. (2007). Ostracism: The kiss of social death. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 1(1), 236–247.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wu, L. Z., Yim, F. H., & k., Kwan, H. K., & Zhang, X. (2012). Coping with workplace ostracism: The roles of ingratiation and political skill in employee psychological distress. Journal of Management Studies, 49(1), 178–199.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xu, E., Huang, X., Jia, R., Xu, J., Liu, W., Graham, L., et al. (2020). The “Evil Pleasure”: Abusive Supervision and Third-Party Observers’ Malicious Reactions Toward Victims. Organization Science.

  • Xu, E., Huang, X., Lam, C. K., & Miao, Q. (2012). Abusive supervision and work behaviors: The mediating role of LMX. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 33(4), 531–543.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang, H., Kwan, H. K., Zhang, X., & Wu, L.-Z. (2014). High core self-evaluators maintain creativity: A motivational model of abusive supervision. Journal of Management, 40(4), 1151–1174.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang, Y., & Liao, Z. (2015). Consequences of abusive supervision: A meta-analytic review. Asia Pacific Journal of Management, 32(4), 959–987.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao, H., Peng, Z., & Sheard, G. (2013). Workplace ostracism and hospitality employees’ counterproductive work behaviors: The joint moderating effects of proactive personality and political skill. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 33, 219–227.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zheng, X., & Liu, X. (2017). The buffering effect of mindfulness on abusive supervision and creative performance: a social cognitive framework. Frontiers in psychology, 8, 1588.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhou, J., & Shalley, C. E. (2003). Research on employee creativity: A critical review and directions for future research.

  • Zoghbi-Manrique-de-Lara, P., & Suárez-Acosta, M. A. (2014). Employees’ reactions to peers’ unfair treatment by supervisors: The role of ethical leadership. Journal of Business Ethics, 122(4), 537–549.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Funding

This research was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (ID: 71672155), Natural Science Foundation of Fujian Province (ID: 2020J01032) and Program for New Century Excellent Talents in China Fujian Province University for the first author.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Management, Xiamen University, 422 Siming S Rd, Siming District, Xiamen, 361005, Fujian, China

    Yuntao Bai & Lili Lu

  2. College of Economics and Management, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210014, Jiangsu, China

    Li Lin-Schilstra

  3. Marketing and Consumer Behaviour Group, Wageningen University, Hollandseweg 1, 6706 KN, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    Li Lin-Schilstra

Authors
  1. Yuntao Bai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Lili Lu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Li Lin-Schilstra
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Li Lin-Schilstra.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Ethical Standards

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Informed Consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants involved in the study. Additional informed consent was obtained from all individual participants for whom identifying information is included in the paper.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

The original version of this article was revised: In the initial online publication the funding information was missing. The original article has been corrected.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Bai, Y., Lu, L. & Lin-Schilstra, L. Auxiliaries to Abusive Supervisors: The Spillover Effects of Peer Mistreatment on Employee Performance. J Bus Ethics 178, 219–237 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-021-04768-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-021-04768-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation