THE IMPACT OF DESPOTIC LEADERSHIP ON WITHDRAWAL BEHAVIOR: MEDIATING ROLE OF RUMINATION AND MODERATING ROLE OF ORGANIZATIONAL JUSTICE

Abstract

Purpose:   Leadership is one of the most important variable which has been discussed by different researchers for last many years. Since inception, leadership has been considered by accentuating the positive effects of leaders on subordinates while ignoring the dark side of leadership. Considering this gap, the aim of the current study is to investigate the impact of despotic leadership on withdrawal behavior with the mediating role of rumination and the moderating role of organizational justice.

Design/methodology/approach:  In this study data were collected from sales force of the banking industry through questionnaire, while 284 useful responses were analyzed. 

Findings:  Findings of the study reveal that despotic leadership has positive effect on withdrawal behavior, while rumination partially mediates this relationship. Furthermore, the organizational justice reduces the impact of despotic leadership on rumination.

Originality/value: This study is novel in examining the mediating role of rumination between despotic leadership and withdrawal behavior. Further, the study also investigates the moderating role of organizational justice between despotic leadership and rumination, while there is dearth of academic literature on the said associations. Conservation of resources theory support the study findings.