Title

Ethical Climate and Psychological Contract Violation: Precursors of Salesperson Frontline Deviance

Abstract

This study examines the phenomenon of employee deviance. Using Affective States Theory, a process model was developed that examined the effects of the ethical climate of a firm and incidents of psychological contract violation on the frontline deviance of employees. Frontline deviance is directed at current, former or potential future customers of a firm. The results of a hierarchical regression show that firms with a positive ethical climate have lower incidents of psychological contract violation and frontline deviance by salespeople. In addition, incidents of psychological contract violation had a direct, positive effect on episodes of frontline deviance and also mediated the relationship between the ethical climate of a firm and episodes of frontline deviance by salespeople. Results show that employees feel that firms have an obligation to provide an ethical working environment, and failure to meet this expectation can be perceived as a violation of the psychological contract between a salesperson and their firm. Limitations and avenues of future research are also discussed.

Department(s)

Marketing

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2014

Journal Title

Journal of Selling

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