Holistic view of unethical pro-organizational behavior: literature review

Abstract

Purpose. The current study aims to use existing literature to examine the antecedents and constraints of new constructs, namely unethical yet beneficial for the organization. Approach. We conducted an extensive literature review of 46 published papers between 2010 and 2020 using multiple sources such as Web of Science and Scopus. Findings. Literature addressed two essential characteristics of unethical behavior within an organization. Initially, market intensity, followed by misleading favorable to hierarchical behavior, known as unethical pro-organizational behavior (UPB). Findings also suggest that to eliminate such behavioral inclinations, organizations should clearly communicate their values and goals. Implications for practice. The current study has a lot of management implications. As past literature implies that employees are more likely to engage in UPB, firms must ensure that systems are in place to limit the chance that workers would engage in such conduct, considering it is potential to harm an organization's reputation.