Organization and Strategy Seminar（2019-04）

Topic: Does Symbolizing Your Morality Make Your Coworkers More Helpful?

Speaker: Lei Zhu,University of Manitoba

Time: Friday, 26 April, 10:00-11:30 am

Location: Room 216, Guanghua Building 1

Abstract:

Highly virtuous people often inspire good behavior in their coworkers but, paradoxically, may also become pariahs in the workplace. Integrating social cognitive theory and self-determination theory, we propose that moral identity symbolization (i.e., outwardly projected displays of one’s morality) leads observers to regulate and increase their moral behavior because they perceive moral symbolizers as likely to be judgmental of the moral character of others. However, we further propose that, to the extent to which moral identity symbolization involves behaviors that threaten the need for autonomy of observers (through moral proselytizing), the effects on observer behavior will be diminished or reversed. Supporting our theorizing, empirical data demonstrate that in the presence of moral identity symbolizers, observers are less likely to cheat (Study 1) and more likely to help others through organizational citizenship behaviors and volunteering outside of work (Study 2). Moreover, judgmental-perceptions of the symbolizer mediates these effects (Study 2). Further supporting our moral proselytizing hypothesis, we demonstrate that the positive effect of moral identity symbolization on moral regulation disappears (Study 3) when symbolization takes the form of moral proselytizing. We discuss the implications of our findings for theory, management practice, and future research.

Introduction:

Dr. Lei Zhu (祝磊) is an Associate Professor of Organizational Behavior at the Asper School of Business, University of Manitoba (He will be joining the Schulich School of Business, York University as an Associate Professor of Organizational Studies in July 2019). Dr. Zhu’s primary expertise is in behavioral ethics and person impressions. Funded by multiple grants from SSHRC (Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada), Dr. Zhu has to date published 15 peer-reviewed journal articles at premier, high-impact journals in the field of organizational behavior, such as the Journal of Applied Psychology, as well as other premier outlets, such as the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Cognition, and the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology. Dr. Zhu currently serves as an editorial member of the Journal of Vocation Behavior and has served as an ad-hoc reviewer for journals such as Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, the Journal of Applied Psychology, and the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

//umanitoba.ca/faculties/management/faculty_staff/academic_professors/luke-zhu.html

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