What does your i-deal mean? Mediation of relative deprivation in the relationship between coworkers’ i-deals and employees’ voice behaviors

Purpose This study examines the impact of perceptions of coworkers’ developmental i-deals on employees’ pro-organizational (POV) and self-interested voice (SIV) behaviors in high-tech companies, exploring the mediating role of perceived relative deprivation and the moderating role of psychological entitlement in these relationships. Design/methodology/approach The study conducted a multi-wave, multi-source questionnaire survey among 409 employees in China. Statistical analyses were conducted using AMOS 22 and the PROCESS macro in SPSS 26. Findings The results suggest that perceptions of coworkers’ developmental i-deals decreased employees’ POV behaviors and increased SIV behaviors through focal employees’ perceived relative deprivation. In addition, employees’ psychological entitlement reinforced the effects of perceptions of coworkers’ developmental i-deals on employees’ perceived relative deprivation. Originality/value Utilizing relative deprivation theory, this study discovered a new mediating mechanism (i.e. perceived relative deprivation) that links perceptions of coworkers’ developmental i-deals to focal employees’ POV behaviors and SIV behaviors. In addition, this study also revealed the moderating role of psychological entitlement in the relationship between perceptions of coworkers’ developmental i-deals and the focal employee’s relative deprivation.