Abusive Supervision and Workplace Deviance: The Moderating Role of Power Distance

The aim of this paper is to examine the association of abusive supervision with workplace deviance, for instance supervisory directed deviance, non-supervisory directed deviance, and emotional exhaustion. Further, in this paper we examine how power distance moderates these relationships. Cross-sectional data was collected through selfadministrated questionnaire from banking sectors in Lahore, Pakistan. To test the hypothesis, structural equation-modeling (SEM) technique is used; moreover, for moderation test hierarchical regression is applied. The finding suggests that abusive supervision is positively associated with supervisory directed deviance, non-supervisory directed deviance, and emotional exhaustion. In moderation test, the individual power distance influences the relationships between abusive supervision and supervisory directed deviance as well as emotional exhaustion. However, it has not affected the relationship among abusive supervision and non-supervisory directed deviance. The results indicate that mostly mistreated employees involved in negative reactions and these reactions are not only contained deviating behavior, it also influences them emotionally. By addressing abusive supervision issues, this research has key implication for abusive supervision practically. In practical terms, „Policy makers‟ can also take benefit from this research by considering how abusive supervision can influence the employees‟ wellbeing in organizations while making organizational polices.