A MODERATED MEDIATION FRAMEWORK OF WORKPLACE DEVIANCE IN INDIAN PUBLIC SECTOR UNITS

Abstract

This thesis ascertains the impact of perceived abilities-motivation-opportunities enhancing HRM practices (AMO framework) on destructive and constructive deviance via employee engagement. Given a little consensus among the academicians and practitioners concerning the specific practices that should be encompassed in the configuration of HRM practices, recent research has called for a focus on HR bundles as a primary unit of analysis as advocated in the ability-motivation-opportunity (AMO) framework. This framework posits that specific HRM practices augment the skills and abilities of discrete employees, their readiness and endeavour to strive, and their opportunities to exhibit talent in their work. Collectively these three bundles of HRM practices enhance employee engagement, which, in turn, reduces destructive and stimulate constructive deviance. Also, this study explores the moderating role of perceived organizational support (POS). Methodology: Initially, a systematic review of extant literature and process of content analysis was carried out to identify the gaps and constructs of the thesis. The identified constructs were: abilities, motivation, and opportunities-enhancing HRM practices, employee engagement, and perceived organizational support, destructive, and constructive deviance. Given a higher percentage of employee deviant behaviour in public sector, utilizing a questionnaire, this thesis collected the sample from 403 middle-level executives of two Maharatna PSUs using simple random sampling method. Analysis: SPSS, Amos 21, and PROCESS macro were used to analyze results. After preliminary testing of normality, multidimensional constructs or measurement models were tested for reliability and validity. Structural model or mediation hypotheses were tested using structural equation modelling (SEM) method. And, the moderation effect and moderated mediation were tested by utilizing PROCESS macro. Results: Results specified a significant impact of perceived AMO framework on employee engagement (Hypothesis 1a-c), which in turn, exhibited a negative relationship with a destructive (Hypothesis 2) and positive relationship with constructive deviance respectively (Hypothesis 3). Results revealed that employee engagement significantly mediated the relationship between perceived AMO framework and destructive (Hypotheses 4a-c) and constructive deviance (Hypotheses 5a-c). Concerning moderating role of POS, it was found that at a high level of POS, the effect of abilities, motivation, and opportunities-enhancing HRM practices on employee engagement was significant in a positive direction and also reached its highest level (Hypotheses 6a-c). Lastly, for moderated mediation, results only iii supported the indirect effects of perceived AMO framework on destructive deviance via employee engagement at different levels of POS (Hypothesis 7a-c) and not for constructive deviance (Hypothesis 8a-c). Managerial Implications: This thesis implies that public sector organizations must take initiatives to enhance employee engagement and perceived organizational support through the implementation of abilities, motivation, and opportunities-enhancing practices (AMO). Results inferred that motivation-enhancing HRM practices contribute highest in generating employee engagement followed by motivation-enhancing HRM practices. This implementation of bundles of HRM practices not only caters to the customized needs of employees but also reduces destructive deviance and stimulate constructive deviance. Besides, organizations must build ‘adaptive coping’ mechanism among employees via five training interventions namely talent management, employee resilience, mindfulness, workplace spirituality, and mentoring to reduce losses attributed to destructive deviance and improve the health and well-being of employees. Limitations: First, this study employed a cross-sectional research design, which does not take causality into account. Second, the study was limited to the Indian PSUs; thereby the results cannot be generalized to another organizational context. Moreover, data was collected from only middle-level executives but employees at the top level and lower level may exhibit a different level of employee engagement. Third, the findings of this thesis are based on a small sample size. Lastly, the thesis adopted SEM and PROCESS macro to analyze hypothesized relations. In future, other techniques such as multiple regression or hierarchical regression can also be utilized. Future scope: The thesis study that future researchers can also consider the role of leaders as they play a significant role in implementing the HRM bundles. Future studies can explore other mediators such as psychological capital as an underlying mechanism. Since organizational support is provided in two forms namely perceived organizational and perceived supervisor support, therefore, future studies can also test the moderating role of perceived supervisor support between HRM bundles, employee engagement, and workplace deviance.