(Sponsoring faculty member: Dr. Jay Caughron)
The study investigates the relation between workplace deviance and
justifications. For example, if an employee is questioned by their
supervisor about them leaving early from work every day what is the
reasoning that the employee provides; is it because everyone does it or
another justification. A justification taxonomy has been developed
consisting of five categories that are most likely used when questioned
about their behavior: blame victim, blame other, blame situation,
challenge authority, and fairness. Workplace deviance is categorized
into two different types which are organizational deviance and
interpersonal deviance. Gender will also be a variable examined in order
to better understand if gender has any effects on the types of
justifications used when questioned about their workplace deviance by
their supervisor. It is hypothesized that the justifications utilized
will be dependent on the type of workplace deviance. It is also
hypothesized that the type of justification utilized will differ based
on gender. This study is being tested with employees from a
manufacturing company in Blacksburg, Virginia. It is expected that
organizational deviance will result in justifications such as blame
situation, challenge authority, and fairness; interpersonal deviance
will result in justifications such as blame victim and blame others. In
addition, women are expected to use justifications such as blame victim
and blame other whereas men will utilize justifications such as blame
situation, challenge authority, and fairness. This study will assist in
being better able to respond to others in order to prevent workplace
deviance and to better understand ourselves.