Harnessing Transformational Leadership to Curb Unethical Pro-Group Behavior: Roles of Group Potency and Leader–Organization Fit
基于社会认知理论，研究发现员工感知的群体效能感低时更易做出不道德的亲群体行为，而变革型领导能通过提升群体效能感来减少此类行为，且领导-组织匹配高时效果更显著。
Abstract Previous research mainly emphasizes relational factors that drive employees to engage in unethical behaviors to benefit their group, overlooking the role of ability-related mechanisms. However, understanding the ability-related mechanisms not only deepens our insight into unethical pro-group behaviors but also informs effective strategies for reducing such behaviors. Drawing upon social cognitive theory, we propose that employees who perceive low group potency are more likely to engage in unethical pro-group behaviors. In this regard, transformational leadership can reduce these unethical behaviors by increasing employees’ perception of group potency. Furthermore, we suggest that this effect is particularly salient when employees perceive a high leader–organization fit. We conducted an experiment and a multi-source, multi-wave field study to empirically test this theoretical model. Our research contributes to the literature on behavioral ethics and transformational leadership and provides practical implications for reducing unethical pro-group behaviors in the workplace.