Dear top management, please don't make me a cynic: intention to sabotage. Issue 10 (14th November 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Abubakar, A. Mohammed; Arasli, Huseyin
• Is Part Of: Journal of management development. Volume 35:Issue 10(2016)
• Page Start: 1266
• Page End: 1286
• Publication Date: 2016-11-14
• Subjects: Nigeria -- Procedural justice -- Employee cynicism -- Service sabotage -- Intention to sabotage; Executives -- Training of -- Periodicals; Middle managers -- Training of -- Periodicals; Management -- Study and teaching -- Periodicals; 658.407124
• DOI: 10.1108/JMD-11-2015-0164
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0262-1711

Abstract

Abstract : Purpose: The conceptualization of service sabotage failed to adequately tap the domain of interest. Phenomena like turnover and service sabotage are difficult to measure and are not suitable for individual-level study. However, "intention" is suitable for individual-level or management-oriented studies. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach: A new scale (eight items) to measure the intention to sabotage was developed and tested using a sample of bank ( n =313) and insurance ( n =258) employees in Nigeria. Cynicism and the desire for justice are the roots of sabotage. As such, the inability to stabilize institutionalized work processes and procedures may cause employees to be overcome with the intention to sabotage service, prior to the actual sabotage. Drawing on conservation of resources theory, this paper investigates the impact of employee cynicism on intention to sabotage as moderated by procedural justice. Findings: The analyses suggest that employee cynicism is related to the intention to sabotage, and procedural justice moderates the relationship between employee cynicism and intention to sabotage. The findings endorse the model of interest, and implications of this study for research and practice are discussed. Originality/value: The study differentiated service sabotage from intention to sabotage, and developed and tested a scale to measure the intention to sabotage.