On a fundamental level, every company and organisation in the world can be regarded as a constellation of human beings, working together towards a mutually accepted overarching goal. An organisation is truly only as great as the people who embody its mission, those who go above and beyond to see the company succeed and to make customers happy. Henceforth, the most important asset in an organisation is not its facilities or market cap, but the individuals that work in it. We could, therefore, expect companies to pay extreme attention and look after their workers so that they can ensure an encouraging and productive work environment.
In reality, however, this is rarely the case. In this day of age, revenue and profit have become the leading corporate targets and key performance indicators, leading to a severe neglect of basic psychological needs of employees. The consequences of this mindset are starting to become increasingly evident. More and more companies in the UK and worldwide experience an increase in dysfunctional and harmful actions from employees towards the organisation (Furnham and Taylor, 2011) – such actions are known as counterproductive work behaviours (CWBs). There are multiple forms of counterproductive work behaviours ranging from theft and property destruction to absenteeism and alcohol abuse, etc. and their causes lie either in the individual or in the company. Theft is considered to be one of the most common types of CWBs, with up to 75% of all employees reporting to have stolen from their employer at least once.
The purpose of this essay will be to briefly introduce the different types of counterproductive work behaviours and to explain their underlying causes. We will be focusing particularly on theft as it has been shown to be the reason for bankruptcy in one-third of the companies. Having the fundamental theoretical knowledge, we will then focus our attention on curating a researched-based intervention for reducing theft at work, giving action-based advice both on an individual and an organisational level.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- What are counterproductive work behaviours and what causes them?
- The bad apple, bad barrel metaphor
- What is theft and what causes it?
Objectives and Key Themes
This essay aims to introduce the different types of counterproductive work behaviours (CWBs), explain their underlying causes, and propose a researched-based intervention for reducing theft at work. The focus will be on theft due to its significant impact on businesses.
- Counterproductive Work Behaviours (CWBs) and their various forms
- The "bad apple, bad barrel" metaphor explaining individual and organizational factors contributing to CWBs
- The causes of theft within the workplace
- Individual characteristics influencing CWBs (e.g., moral development, Machiavellianism)
- Organizational factors influencing CWBs (e.g., ethical climate, culture, codes of conduct)
Chapter Summaries
Introduction: This introductory chapter establishes the fundamental importance of employees to organizational success. It highlights the increasing prevalence of counterproductive work behaviors (CWBs) and the significant financial losses they cause, focusing specifically on theft as a prevalent and costly CWB. The essay outlines its objective to explore the types, causes, and potential interventions for reducing theft within organizations, setting the stage for the detailed analysis to follow.
What are counterproductive work behaviours and what causes them?: This chapter defines counterproductive work behavior (CWB) and distinguishes it from other workplace actions. It details eleven categories of CWBs, ranging from theft and property damage to absenteeism and verbal harassment. Crucially, the chapter introduces the "bad apple, bad barrel" framework, attributing CWBs to both individual characteristics ("bad apple") and organizational factors ("bad barrel"), setting the stage for a deeper exploration of these factors in later chapters.
The bad apple, bad barrel metaphor: This chapter delves into the "bad apple, bad barrel" framework, exploring both individual and organizational contributors to CWBs. It examines individual characteristics such as cognitive moral development, moral philosophy (idealism vs. relativism), Machiavellianism, and demographics (age, gender, education) and their correlation with CWBs. For organizational factors, it highlights ethical climate (egoistic, benevolent, principled), ethical culture, and codes of conduct, and their influence on employee behavior. The chapter emphasizes the interconnectedness of individual and organizational factors in shaping CWBs.
What is theft and what causes it?: This chapter focuses specifically on theft, defining it as unauthorized appropriation of company property. It builds upon the previous chapters by analyzing how the "bad apple, bad barrel" framework applies to theft, exploring individual and organizational factors that contribute to this specific CWB. While the provided text only begins this section, it lays the groundwork for a detailed exploration of the causes and potential interventions for reducing theft in the workplace.
Keywords
Counterproductive work behaviours (CWBs), theft, organizational behavior, ethical climate, ethical culture, Machiavellianism, cognitive moral development, employee misconduct, workplace theft, intervention strategies.
Frequently Asked Questions: A Comprehensive Language Preview on Counterproductive Work Behaviors
What is the main topic of this document?
This document provides a comprehensive preview of an essay focusing on counterproductive work behaviors (CWBs), with a particular emphasis on theft. It explores the definitions, causes (both individual and organizational), and potential interventions for reducing CWBs, particularly theft, in the workplace.
What are the key themes explored in the essay?
The key themes include the definition and categorization of CWBs, the "bad apple, bad barrel" metaphor explaining the interplay of individual and organizational factors contributing to CWBs, the specific causes of workplace theft, the influence of individual characteristics (e.g., moral development, Machiavellianism), and the impact of organizational factors (e.g., ethical climate, culture, codes of conduct) on CWBs.
What is the "bad apple, bad barrel" metaphor?
The "bad apple, bad barrel" metaphor is a framework used to understand the causes of CWBs. "Bad apple" refers to individual characteristics like low moral development or Machiavellianism that predispose individuals to engage in CWBs. "Bad barrel" represents organizational factors such as a weak ethical climate or lack of codes of conduct that create an environment conducive to CWBs. The essay emphasizes that both individual and organizational factors are intertwined in shaping CWBs.
What types of counterproductive work behaviors are discussed?
The essay discusses eleven categories of CWBs, ranging from theft and property damage to absenteeism and verbal harassment. However, the focus is primarily on theft due to its significant impact on businesses.
What individual factors contribute to CWBs?
Individual factors contributing to CWBs include cognitive moral development, moral philosophy (idealism vs. relativism), Machiavellianism, and demographic factors like age, gender, and education.
What organizational factors contribute to CWBs?
Organizational factors contributing to CWBs include ethical climate (egoistic, benevolent, principled), ethical culture, and the presence or absence of clear codes of conduct.
What is the essay's objective regarding theft?
The essay aims to explore the causes of workplace theft and propose researched-based interventions to reduce its occurrence.
What are the chapter summaries provided in the preview?
The preview includes summaries of an introduction chapter establishing the context and importance of the topic, a chapter defining CWBs and introducing the "bad apple, bad barrel" metaphor, a chapter detailing the "bad apple, bad barrel" framework and its application to CWBs, and a chapter focusing specifically on the definition and causes of theft within the workplace.
What keywords are associated with this essay?
Keywords include Counterproductive work behaviours (CWBs), theft, organizational behavior, ethical climate, ethical culture, Machiavellianism, cognitive moral development, employee misconduct, workplace theft, and intervention strategies.
What is the overall purpose of this document?
This document serves as a comprehensive preview of an essay, providing readers with a detailed understanding of its contents, objectives, and key themes before engaging with the full text. It is designed for academic use, facilitating the analysis of themes related to counterproductive work behaviors and workplace theft.
- Quote paper
- Vladislav Tsekov (Author), 2018, Understanding and Reducing Counterproductive Work Behaviours in Organisations, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/446923
