The effects of the perceived external prestige of the organization on employee deviant workplace behavior: The mediating role of job satisfaction

This paper aims to examine the effects of perceived external prestige (PEP) on deviant workplace behavior (DWB) and the mediating role of job satisfaction (JS).

The relationship was tested via hierarchical regression analyses. The study used data drawn from 401 employees of five-star hotels located in the Turkish cities of Ankara and Antalya.

The study findings suggest that there is a negative correlation between JS and organizational deviant work behaviors. Employees’ satisfaction leads to workplace harmony and brings employees closer to the purpose of the organization. Additionally, the study shows that positive PEP reflects positively on JS and vice versa. JS plays a mediating role between PEP and DWB.

The first limitation of the study is that the sample involves a specific area and, therefore, may not be generalizable. Additionally, the study contains only five-star hotels. Therefore, future researchers could replicate the findings with a heterogeneous population sample comprising employees of various hotels’ levels.

The external reputation of an organization (image) is an important subject for researchers, as it fosters organizational members’ JS, and higher PEP decreases members’ deviant work behavior. This empirical study focuses on hospitality employees because this group has not received attention from researchers, despite their importance as the top contributors to the high-level service industry.