Linking abusive supervision to service sabotage: Evidence from Indian hospitality sector on the roles of moral disengagement and psychological contract violation

Abstract

This study examines how abusive supervision influences service sabotage behavior (SSB) among hospitality employees through a dual-mediating mechanism: moral disengagement and psychological contract violation. Drawing on Moral Conation Theory, Psychological Contract Theory, and Frustration–Aggression Theory, we propose that frustration and anger from abusive supervision are displaced onto customers, increasing SSB. Data were collected in a three-phase, time-lagged design from 358 employees in the Indian hospitality sector. Results show that abusive supervision simultaneously fosters high moral disengagement and perceptions of psychological contract violation, which sequentially increase engagement in SSB. The study highlights the detrimental consequences of abusive supervision and provides novel empirical evidence of the dual mediating mechanisms linking leadership behavior to employee misconduct in service contexts. By integrating three theoretical perspectives, this research contributes to leadership and organizational studies and extends understanding of the psychological processes underlying SSB in the hospitality sector.