Abstract
Since workplace deviance has significantly been associated with the social- economic costs and benefits within an organisation, researchers are driven to examine the antecedents of deviant behaviour. A large number of studies have examined potential antecedents of destructive deviance, but little is yet known about what motivates employees to engage in constructive deviance. Even though the previous literature has described deviance as behaviour that can be harmful to the organisation, positive functions have been established.
Antecedents, such as culture are a vital element in understanding the influence thereof on organisational change, in response to external pressures and remaining competitive. Power distance (one of five sub-dimensions of culture) is one of the significant cultural values identified in most existent cultural value frameworks for the important role it plays in decision-making processes. Employees react more favourably (constructively) to decisions based on procedures believed to be fair, than those believed to be unfair (potential to react destructively).
The focus of the current study was aimed at exploring the relationship between organisational culture (power distance) and constructive workplace behaviour with its sub constructs (innovative organisational deviance, challenging organisational deviance and interpersonal constructive deviance) as well as destructive workplace behaviour with its sub constructs (organisational destructive deviance and interpersonal destructive deviance).
A quantitative approach was employed, utilising a cross-sectional survey design to address the aim of the study. Non-probability convenience sampling was used to source participants from the South African population within the Gauteng province (n=359). The Cultural Value Scale (CVS), constructive deviance scale and the destructive deviance scale were utilised to assess the constructs. Confirmatory factor analysis, reliability, correlation and simple linear regression analyses were utilised. A significant result was reported for only one of the ten hypotheses, that of challenging organisational constructive deviance significantly predicting culture (power distance). The study highlights the importance of why organisations should be aware of the influence of power distance on employee behaviour, as promoting...
M.Phil. (Industrial Psychology)