Will catering employees’ job dissatisfaction lead to brand sabotage behavior? A study based on conservation of resources and complexity theories
International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management
ISSN: 0959-6119
Article publication date: 28 February 2022
Issue publication date: 4 April 2022
Abstract
Purpose
Integrating conservation of resources (COR) and complexity theories, this study aims to develop and assess a research model of the relationship between job dissatisfaction and brand sabotage behavior (BSB) based on the moderating mechanism of psychological resources (i.e. brand-based role identity and relational energy). The interdependence between these influencing factors is analyzed from the perspective of social science holism.
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 381 valid questionnaires were collected from frontliners serving in full-service restaurants in Guangzhou, China. Regression analysis was used to test the research hypotheses and combined with fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis to identify the complex triggering mechanism of BSB.
Findings
Job dissatisfaction is positively related to BSB, brand-based role identity internalization and relational energy weaken this effect, whereas brand-based role identity compliance strengthens it. Qualitative comparative analysis shows that a single condition does not constitute a necessary condition for BSB. The interdependence of job dissatisfaction and employee psychological resources forms multiple asymmetric paths that trigger high and low BSB.
Practical implications
The findings can be used by catering organizations as guidelines for conducting training for brand internalization, formulating strategies to avoid BSB among employees and strengthening brand building.
Originality/value
This study is the first to integrate COR and complexity theories to comprehensively analyze how BSB is formed among dissatisfied employees. The authors advance theory by distinguishing the role of brand psychological resources (i.e. brand-based role identity) and psychological resources obtained from the environment (i.e. relational energy) in stimulating or buffering dissatisfied employees to engage in BSB.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This study was supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 71972054 to Jiamin Peng; No. 71802052 to Xinhua Guan; No. 72002047 to Lian Zhou), the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province of China (No. 2019A1515011494 to Jiamin Peng).
Citation
Peng, J., Yang, X., Guan, X., Zhou, L. and Huan, T.-C. (2022), "Will catering employees’ job dissatisfaction lead to brand sabotage behavior? A study based on conservation of resources and complexity theories", International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, Vol. 34 No. 5, pp. 1882-1905. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCHM-09-2021-1109
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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