Abstract:
Abusive supervision is a growing concern in high-pressure environments such as
Information Technology (IT) organizations. Guided by displaced aggression
theory, this study investigates how such supervisory mistreatment can lead
employees to engage in workplace deviance, defined as voluntary behavior that
violates organizational norms and causes harm. When direct confrontation with
abusive supervisors is perceived as risky or inappropriate, employees may redirect
their frustration toward the organization through deviant actions. Furthermore, the
study examines the moderating role of power distance orientation, the extent to
which individuals accept and expect unequal power distribution. Employees with
a high-power distance orientation are more likely to tolerate hierarchical authority
and refrain from retaliatory behavior. In contrast, those with a low power distance
orientation may be less accepting of unjust authority and more prone to react
negatively. A cross-sectional, quantitative approach was employed using a
structured, self-administered questionnaire. A total of 300 surveys were
distributed among employees in Sri Lankan IT organizations, yielding 230 valid
responses through convenience sampling. Validated scales were used to measure
abusive supervision, organizational deviance, and power distance. Hierarchical
regression analysis was conducted using SPSS to test direct and interaction
effects. Abusive supervision was positively associated with organizational
deviance (β = 0.41, p < 0.001), indicating that higher levels of supervisory abuse
led to increased deviant behaviors toward the organization. The interaction term
between abusive supervision and power distance was significant (β = -0.19, p <
0.01), confirming the moderating effect. A simple slope analysis revealed that the
relationship between abusive supervision and deviance was stronger among
employees with low power distance orientation (simple slope = 0.52, p < 0.001),
while the relationship was weaker for those with high power distance (simple
slope = 0.28, p < 0.05). The model explained 38% of the variance in workplace
deviance (R² = 0.38). The findings support displaced aggression theory by
showing that abusive supervision fosters organizational deviance, especially
among employees who do not accept hierarchical inequality. Power distance plays
a buffering role in this relationship. Managers must recognize the hidden costs of
abusive behaviors and consider employees’ cultural orientations.
