A Process Approach to Reduce Male Harassment Proclivity: Understanding the Behaviour of Male Harassment

Workplace harassment affects both men and women globally, with male ethnic harassment receiving limited attention. Few national or international studies have explored the issue from the perspective of male ethnic harassment. This study examines the influence of leadership styles, specifically ethical and destructive leadership, on the incidence of ethnic harassment among male employees in Karachi, Pakistan. Using a quantitative, survey-based approach, data were collected from 374 male employees across ethnically diverse districts (Lyari, Baldia, and Korangi) through purposive sampling. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) was employed for analysis. The study reveals that, contrary to expectations, ethical leadership may inadvertently contribute to ethnic harassment by reinforcing hierarchical structures, while destructive leadership predictably increases harassment. The findings suggest that ethnic harassment mediates the relationship between leadership styles and moral disengagement, where harassed employees become morally detached, rationalising unethical behaviour and engaging in further harassment. Moreover, collective moral identity was found to significantly moderate this relationship, reducing the proclivity for harassment among morally aligned groups. These results contribute to the literature on moral identity and provide empirical evidence on the effects of ethnic harassment in politically charged environments, such as Karachi. This data can inform future organisational policies to address ethnic tensions and promote ethical leadership practices.