From loyal soldiers to bad apples: moderated mediation model of psychological entitlement and moral decoupling

Purpose Drawing on social exchange theory, the study examines the mediating role of psychological entitlement in the relationship between unethical pro-organizational behavior (UPB) and three dimensions of self-serving unethical behavior (SSUB): abuse of organizational resources, theft and corruption. The study further aims to investigate the moderating role of moral decoupling in the aforementioned mediating relationship. Design/methodology/approach Survey data from 318 hospitality employees in India were analyzed using PROCESS v 4.1. Findings Results showed that psychological entitlement mediated the relationship between UPB and all three dimensions of SSUB. Further, moral decoupling was seen to moderate the mediated relationship, providing support for the moderated mediation framework. Practical implications The study highlights the importance of reducing the risk of UPB in organizations by establishing a clear code of ethics and communicating these guidelines to employees. Further, since the combination of UPB and moral decoupling can lead to disastrous consequences for organizations, managers should be more vigilant about employees who are prone to engage in moral decoupling. Originality/value By examining the previously unexplored moderating effect of moral decoupling between UPB and psychological entitlement on subsequent SSUB, this study provides new avenues for research on moral decoupling, UPB and psychological entitlement.