The interpersonal consequences of stealing ideas: Worse character judgments and less co-worker support for an idea (vs. money) thief

Lillien M. Ellis

Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 2022, vol. 171, issue C

Abstract: As the demand for creativity grows, the vulnerability of ideas to theft becomes increasingly salient. Knowledge workers are keenly aware of idea theft and nearly one-third report having co-workers who steal ideas. However, the severity of consequences people face for stealing ideas is unclear. In this article, I investigate the interpersonal consequences of stealing ideas compared to stealing money. Across a series of experiments, I found that idea thieves are judged to have worse character than money thieves, and that individuals are less willing to offer them co-worker support. Further, I found that stronger internal attributions for idea theft behaviors drive this effect. Furthermore, I tested and found no evidence supporting value as an alternative explanation. Lastly, I found that individuals are judged more negatively for stealing creative (vs. practical) ideas. Taken together, these findings suggest that idea theft has significant interpersonal consequences with negative implications for co-worker dynamics.

Keywords: Creativity; Idea Theft; Attribution; Character Judgment; Co-Worker Support (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jobhdp:v:171:y:2022:i:c:s0749597822000498

DOI: 10.1016/j.obhdp.2022.104165

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