TY - JOUR
T1 - Good intentions, bad behavior
T2 - a review and synthesis of the literature on unethical prosocial behavior (UPB) at work
AU - Mo, Shenjiang
AU - Lupoli, Matthew J.
AU - Newman, Alexander
AU - Umphress, Elizabeth E.
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, specifically by Grant Nos. 71772158 and 72172139 awarded to Shenjiang Mo.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
PY - 2023/2
Y1 - 2023/2
N2 - Scholars have investigated work behaviors that are intended to help others, yet at the same time violate societal values, norms, laws, or standards of proper conduct. We refer to these actions collectively as unethical prosocial behavior (UPB) at work. In this paper, we provide a critical review of the UPB literature. Our review makes several contributions: First, we clarify definitional issues surrounding UPB, while also offering suggestions for the improvement of measurement and methodology in the study of UPB. Second, we review the major theoretical perspectives that have been adopted in empirical research on UPB at different levels of analysis and summarize the empirical findings on the topic. In doing so, we highlight the theoretical and empirical challenges facing this work. Finally, we develop an agenda for future research that clears a path toward resolving these issues and advancing knowledge of UPB.
AB - Scholars have investigated work behaviors that are intended to help others, yet at the same time violate societal values, norms, laws, or standards of proper conduct. We refer to these actions collectively as unethical prosocial behavior (UPB) at work. In this paper, we provide a critical review of the UPB literature. Our review makes several contributions: First, we clarify definitional issues surrounding UPB, while also offering suggestions for the improvement of measurement and methodology in the study of UPB. Second, we review the major theoretical perspectives that have been adopted in empirical research on UPB at different levels of analysis and summarize the empirical findings on the topic. In doing so, we highlight the theoretical and empirical challenges facing this work. Finally, we develop an agenda for future research that clears a path toward resolving these issues and advancing knowledge of UPB.
KW - unethical behavior
KW - unethical pro-group behavior
KW - unethical pro-leader behavior
KW - unethical pro-organizational behavior
KW - unethical prosocial behavior
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85126850505&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/job.2617
DO - 10.1002/job.2617
M3 - Review Article
AN - SCOPUS:85126850505
SN - 0894-3796
VL - 44
SP - 335
EP - 354
JO - Journal of Organizational Behavior
JF - Journal of Organizational Behavior
IS - 2
ER -