The impact of customer sexual harassment on customer-oriented OCB: a social exchange perspective
International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management
ISSN: 0959-6119
Article publication date: 25 April 2023
Issue publication date: 8 November 2023
Abstract
Purpose
Drawing on social exchange theory, this study aims to investigate the relation of customer sexual harassment (CSH) and customer-oriented organizational citizenship behaviors (customer-oriented OCB), as well as the mediation of customer–employee exchange (CEX) and the moderation of hostile attribution bias.
Design/methodology/approach
The hypotheses were examined through a field study performed in six hotels in three Chinese cities and an experimental study.
Findings
The results revealed that CSH undermined the quality of CEX, leading employees to withdraw from customer-oriented OCB. Additionally, the hostile attribution bias of service employees reinforced the direct relationship between CSH and CEX and its indirect relationship with customer-oriented OCB via CEX.
Practical implications
The findings suggest that hospitality organizations should endeavor to reduce the occurrence of CSH, and that by valuing and encouraging the development of high-quality CEX, they can mitigate its detrimental effects. Special attention should also be paid to hospitality employees holding strong hostile attribution bias.
Originality/value
First, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is one of the first studies to explore the influence of CSH on customer-oriented OCB among hotel employees. In addition, examining the effect of CSH from the social exchange perspective represents a new theoretical approach. The finding also contributes to the literature on CEX by identifying an important antecedent. Finally, by investigating hostile attribution bias as a moderator, this research provides insights into how individual differences moderate the destructive influence of CSH.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors thank the support provided by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 71702198, 72102148), Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province (2023A1515010650, 2023A1515011012, 2017A30310224) and Shenzhen Natural Science Fund (the Stable Support Plan Program No. 20200810161833001).
Citation
Zhu, H., Ye, Y., Zhou, M. and Li, Y. (2023), "The impact of customer sexual harassment on customer-oriented OCB: a social exchange perspective", International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, Vol. 35 No. 12, pp. 4555-4573. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCHM-07-2022-0909
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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