Authoritarian Leadership and Unethical Pro-Organizational Behavior: Mediating Role of Moral Disengagement

Abstract

This study aims to examine how authoritarian leadership influences unethical pro-organizational behavior via moral disengagement. We use 398 valid samples from 10 companies to test our theoretical model. The subjects have certain work experience and are distributed in all walks of life. Results show that authoritarian leadership is positively related to unethical pro-organizational behavior and this positive relationship is partially mediated by moral disengagement. Besides, power distance orientation moderates the strength of mediated relationship between authoritarian leadership and unethical pro-organizational behavior via moral disengagement.

Keywords: authoritarian leadership, unethical pro-organizational behavior, moral disengagement