Perceptions of Organizational Politics: a Meta-Analysis of Its Attitudinal, Health, and Behavioural Consequences
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Canadian Psychology / Psychologie canadienne © 2013 Canadian Psychological Association 2013, Vol. 54, No. 4, 246–259 0708-5591/13/$12.00 DOI: 10.1037/a0034549 Perceptions of Organizational Politics: A Meta-Analysis of Its Attitudinal, Health, and Behavioural Consequences Akanksha Bedi Aaron C. H. Schat California State University, Northridge McMaster University In this study, we report the results of a meta-analysis of the relations between perceptions of organisational politics (POP) and attitudinal, psychological health, and behavioural variables using data from 118 independent samples, totaling 44,560 participants. Among the variables examined, POP was most strongly related to organisational trust and interactional justice, but also exhibited relations with a variety of other criteria, including positive relations with stress, burnout, turnover intentions and counterproductive work behaviour, and negative relations with job satisfaction, citizenship behaviour, and job performance. We also found evidence that some effect sizes were moderated by the publication status, geographical origin of data, and types of measures used to assess POP. Keywords: perceptions of organisational politics, stress, job satisfaction, absenteeism, organisational trust It has been about 25 years since Ferris, Russ, and Fandt (a) representing, as accurately as possible given the available (1989) introduced their seminal model of perceptions of organi- data, the relations between POP and its theoretically proposed sational politics (POP) and more than a decade since it was consequences; and (b) investigating whether these relations are revised and updated by Ferris, Adams, Kolodinsky, moderated by methodological or other variables. Hochwarter, and Ammeter (2002). Since that time, researchers Using insights from the job demands-resources (JD-R) theory have used these models to guide their investigations of the (Bakker & Demerouti, 2007; Demerouti, Bakker, Nachreiner, & antecedents, correlates, and consequences of perceptions of Schaufeli, 2001), we propose organisational politics as a job de- politics in work settings. Reviews of this literature have gen- mand that requires employees to expend sustained physical and/or erally shown that politics is influenced by a variety of individ- psychological effort to manage, resulting in various negative atti- ual attributes, such as Machiavellianism, positive affectivity, tudinal, psychological health, and/or behavioural consequences. and locus of control, and conditions in the work environment, Past reviews by Chang, Rosen, and Levy (2009) and Miller, such as job autonomy, centralization, and formalization (e.g., Rutherford, and Kolodinsky (2008) have helped to integrate seg- Ferris et al., 1989; Hochwarter & Thompson, 2010; Valle & ments of the literature on POP but focused on a narrower set of Perrewe, 2000). In addition, research has shown that individuals individual outcomes than were examined in this meta-analysis. For who perceive politics at work experience negative outcomes; instance, Miller et al. (2008) focused specifically on job satisfac- for example, lower levels of job satisfaction and commitment tion, stress, job performance, turnover intentions, and organisa- and higher levels of job stress (e.g., Atinc, Darrat, Fuller, & tional commitment, while Chang et al. (2009) focused on strain, Parker, 2010; Miller, Rutherford, & Kolodinsky, 2008). job satisfaction, turnover intentions, organisational citizenship Although Ferris et al.’s (2002, 1989) framework has been behaviours–individual (OCB-I), organisational citizenship behav- useful in advancing the understanding of the nomological net- iours (OCB-O), task performance, and affective commitment. Our work of POP, much of the empirical research on the construct goal with the present research is to extend and update previous has focused on its proposed consequences. Given this, the reviews in three ways. First, we analyse a broader range of vari- primary purpose of the present meta-analysis was to contribute ables that have been theoretically positioned as consequences of to our understanding of, and guide future research on POP by POP. In addition to the variables included in previous studies, we also include variables such as absenteeism, counterproductive work behaviours, self- and supervisor-rated job performance, burnout, job involvement, organisational trust, organisational sup- Akanksha Bedi, Department of Management, California State Univer- port, perceived work control, distributive justice, interactional sity, Northridge; Aaron C. H. Schat, DeGroote School of Business, Mc- justice, and procedural justice. Second, we include more samples Master University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. than previous reviews (118 in the present work compared with 70 A preliminary version of this meta-analysis was presented at the annual in Miller et al. and 79 in Chang et al.). Finally, we extend the meeting of the Society of Industrial and Organizational Psychology, San Francisco, California, April 10–12, 2008. moderator analyses of these previous studies by including an Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Akanksha additional moderator (type of POP measure) and by applying the Bedi, Department of Management, California State University, Northridge, moderator analyses to a larger dataset and to a wider range of 18111 Nordhoff Street, Northridge, CA 91330. E-mail: [email protected] variables’ relations with POP. 246 PERCEPTIONS OF ORGANIZATIONAL POLITICS 247 Theoretical Background others, diminishing their sense of control. Moreover, to manage the politicised environment, they may feel compelled to engage in According to Ferris, Harrell-Cook, and Dulebohn (2000), POP impression management tactics, which would distract them from is defined as an individual’s subjective appraisal of the extent to their job related duties and undermine their motivation and job which the work environment is characterised as self-serving of satisfaction (Lepine, Podsakoff, & Lepine, 2005; Rosen, Harris, & various individuals and groups, to the detriment or at the cost of Kacmar, 2009). Moreover, frustrated by their inability to control other individuals or groups. This definition has two important and fulfill their work responsibilities, some employees might at- features. First, POP is a perceptual variable that represents an tempt to cope with the situation by mentally distancing themselves individual’s personal evaluation of the behaviour they witness and from their work, others at work, and the organisation itself, leading experience in their work environment. Although it is recognised to decreased attachment and identification with the organisation that these perceptions may not reflect objective reality (Ferris (Folkman & Lazarus, 1985; Lepine et al., 2005). et al., 1989; Gandz & Murray, 1980), because they represent an individual’s view of reality, these perceptions will influence an Hypothesis 1: Perceptions of organisational politics is nega- individual’s cognitive, emotional, and behavioural responses tively associated with (a) job satisfaction, (b) job involvement, (Ferris et al., 2002). Second, the behaviour that comprises POP is (c) organisational commitment, and (d) perceived work behaviour that is deemed to be self-serving and that occurs at the control. expense of others in the organisation. Fair treatment represents a resource that induces a mutual trust Much of the research on POP has been centered around Ferris et and level of support between the source of this fair treatment and al.’s (1989) model of the antecedents and consequences of politics its target (Stinglhamber, De Cremer, & Mercken, 2006). A work perceptions. Research on the consequences of POP shows that it is environment characterised by politics is an environment in which associated with a variety of dysfunctional attitudinal, psychologi- fair processes and outcomes are more likely to be disregarded by cal health, and behavioural outcomes. These include reduced job those who are pursuing their own agendas and self-interest. Work- satisfaction (e.g., Cropanzano, Howes, Grandey, & Toth, 1997), ing in such an environment would require employees to be more organisational commitment (e.g., Harris & Kacmar, 2005b), job vigilant to ensure their interests are not compromised by the involvement (e.g., Ferris & Kacmar, 1992), stress, burnout (e.g., behaviour of others. This vigilance depletes cognitive and emo- Vigoda & Kapun, 2005), job performance, and citizenship behav- tional resources and would also undermine one’s perceived justice, iours (e.g., Randall, Cropanzano, Bormann, & Birjulin, 1999), as particularly procedural justice. Moreover, it would also make well as increased levels of absenteeism (e.g., Vigoda, 2000), employees more suspicious of the intentions and behaviours of turnover intentions (e.g., Valle & Perrewe, 2000), and counterpro- other employees, and therefore, more likely to experience lower ductive work behaviours. levels of trust, fairness, and support. The link between POP and its outcomes can be explained by using the perspective offered by the JD-R model (Bakker & Hypothesis 2: Perceptions of organisational politics is nega- Demerouti, 2007; Demerouti et al., 2001). The JD-R model sug- tively associated with (a) organisational justice, (b) organisa- gests that employee well-being is influenced by two specific tional trust, and (c) organisational support. characteristics of the work environment: job demands and job resources (Demerouti et al., 2001; Schaufeli