Does Servant Leadership Decrease Bad Behaviors? The Mediating Role of Psychological Safety and the Moderating Effect of Corporate Social Responsibility

Taewoo Roh, Min-Jik Kim () and Yunsook Hong ()
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Taewoo Roh: School of International Studies, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Republic of Korea
Min-Jik Kim: School of Industrial Management, Korea University of Technology and Education, Cheonan 31253, Republic of Korea
Yunsook Hong: College of Business Administration, University of Ulsan, Ulsan 44610, Republic of Korea

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 22, 1-31

Abstract: The aim of this research is to elucidate the intricate dynamics of the effects of servant leadership on employee behavior, particularly focusing on counterproductive work behavior. Drawing on the context–attitude–behavior framework, this study underscores the mediating role of psychological safety in this relationship. Additionally, it unveils the pivotal moderating role of corporate social responsibility (CSR), emphasizing its interaction with servant leadership in influencing psychological safety. To empirically test our hypotheses, we gathered survey data from 394 South Korean workers with a three-wave time-lagged research design. Findings indicate that in contexts with pronounced CSR, servant leadership significantly elevates psychological safety, mitigating negative employee behaviors. Conversely, in organizations with less CSR engagement, these positive effects are attenuated. The results underscore the integral role of CSR in complementing leadership initiatives, advocating for its holistic incorporation into organizational strategies to foster conducive work environments. This research bridges several gaps in the current literature, highlighting the imperative for organizations to intertwine servant leadership with robust CSR endeavors to curtail detrimental employee behaviors. This paper also proposes potential directions for future research in this crucial area.

Keywords: servant leadership; corporate social responsibility; psychological safety; counterproductive work behavior; moderated mediation model (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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