Exploring the Effect of Leader-Member Exchange on Envy and Deviant Work Behaviors: The ModeratingRole of Organizational Justice Perception,Self-Esteem and Neuroticism

The purpose of this research is to examine the mediating role of envy in the relationship between leader-member exchange and deviant work behaviors. In addition, in this regard the moderating roles of procedural and distributive justice perception and personality traits such as self-esteem and neuroticism were also examined. The research method is a descriptive survey that has been implemented by applying the correlation research design. The statistical population includes the official employees of Sarcheshmeh Rafsanjan copper complex in summer 2018, which according to the Krejcie and Morgan table, to achieve the minimum sample size (317 persons), 410 standard questionnaires were distributed among the aforementioned staff by the relative stratified sampling method. Of these, only 325 questionnaires were used indicating a response rate of 79%. After verifying the goodness of fit and the reliability and validity of the research tool, data analysis using partial least squares method with PLS software, indicate that the quality of leader-member exchange significantly predicts the envy at work and subsequently deviant work behaviors. In the following, the test of moderating relationships showed that employees' perceptions of procedural and distribution justice, despite the low quality of the leader-member exchange, incite less jealousy feeling in them. Finally, evidence suggests that staff with high self-esteem or low-level neuroticism with increasing episodic envy, experience fewer deviant behaviors.