Unethical pro-organizational behavior: the role of workplace spirituality and organizational identification

Year 2025, Volume: 10 Issue: 1, 21 - 34

Celal Yılmaz

https://doi.org/10.31822/jomat.2025-10-1-21

Abstract

Due to the research dearth and mixed results about the effect of workplace spirituality on UPOB (unethical pro-organizational behaviors), this study aims to investigate whether organizational identification mediates the relationships between workplace spirituality and UPOB. The sample covers 506 employees in accommodation businesses in Nevşehir. The links between the constructs were tested employing the two-stage structural equation model analysis. The mediation was examined through the bootstrap method. The research findings indicate that meaningful work lessens UPOB. However sense of community and alignment with organization’s values does not significantly influence UPOB. The findings show that organizational identification plays a competitive mediation role in the link between meaningful work and UPOB. On the other hand, organizational identification has an indirect-only mediation role on the connection between sense of community and alignment with organization’s values, and UPOB. Based on social identity theory, this research keenly attempts to unveil how organizational identification promotes UPOB although meaningful work decreases unethical behaviors, and sense of community and alignment with organization’s values has no significant influence on UPOB. Accommodation business should be aware of the dark side effect of over-identification. The cross-sectional methodology was employed in the study.

Keywords

Unethical behavior, Identification, Meaningful work, Alingment with values

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