Your browser does not support the PubReader view.
Go to this page to see a list of supporting browsers.
Korean Academic Society of Business Administration
[ Article ]
korean management review - Vol. 54, No. 2, pp.451-475
ISSN: 1226-1874 (Print)
Print publication date 30 Apr 2025
Received 18 Nov 2024 Revised 20 Jan 2025 Accepted 03 Feb 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17287/kmr.2025.54.2.451

The Impact of Abusive Supervision on Employee Quiet Quitting: Examining the Roles of Defensive Silence and Perceived Status

Ke Zhang ; Jasook Koo ; Lan Jin ; Minyoung Cheong
(First Author) Department of Business Administration, School of Management, Kyung Hee University zhangke0619@khu.ac.kr
(Corresponding Author) Department of Business Administration, School of Management, Kyung Hee University jasook@khu.ac.kr
(Co-Author) Department of Business Administration, School of Management, Kyung Hee University jinlan46@naver.com
(Co-Author) Department of Business Administration, School of Management, Kyung Hee University mycheong@khu.ac.kr
비인격적 감독이 직원의 조용한 사직에 미치는 영향: 방어적 침묵과 지위인식의 역할
장가 ; 구자숙 ; 김란 ; 정민영
(주저자) 경희대학교 경영대학 경영학과
(교신저자) 경희대학교 경영대학 경영학과
(공저자) 경희대학교 경영대학 경영학과
(공저자) 경희대학교 경영대학 경영학과


Copyright 2025 THE KOREAN ACADEMIC SOCIETY OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0, which permits unrestricted, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

Grounded in conservation of resource (COR) theory, this study explores employees' avoidance-oriented responses to abusive supervision, a relatively under-researched area. Specifically, it investigates how task- and interpersonal-related abusive supervision differentially impact employees' quiet quitting, mediated by defensive silence and driven by resource conservation or acquisition motivations. The study also examines the moderating role of employees’ perceived status in these mediation processes. Time- lagged data from a variety of Chinese industries were analyzed using structural equation modeling and the PROCESS SPSS macro. The results indicate that task-related abusive supervision promotes quiet quitting through increased defensive silence, while interpersonal-related abusive supervision deters quiet quitting by reducing defensive silence. This indirect effect is stronger when employees perceive their status as low. The study contributes to understanding abusive supervision by offering novel insights into the relationship between abusive supervision and quiet quitting, providing directions for future research.

Keywords:

Abusive supervision, Defensive silence, Quiet quitting, Perceived status

References

  • Abi Aad, A., Andrews, M. C., Maalouf, J. T., Kacmar, K. M., and Valle, M.(2021), “Easing the multiplicative effects of abusive supervision,” Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 42(6), pp.899-911. [https://doi.org/10.1108/LODJ-02-2021-0066]
  • Anand, A., Doll, J., and Ray, P.(2024), “Drowning in silence: A scale development and validation of quiet quitting and quiet firing,” International Journal of Organizational Analysis, 32(4), pp.721-743. [https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOA-01-2023-3600]
  • Arain, G. A., Bukhari, S., Khan, A. K., and Hameed, I.(2020), “The impact of abusive supervision on employees' feedback avoidance and subsequent help-seeking behaviour: A moderated mediation model,” Journal of Management & Organization, 26(5), pp.850-865. [https://doi.org/10.1017/jmo.2018.44]
  • Arar, T., Çetiner, N., and Yurdakul, G.(2023), “Quiet quitting: Building a comprehensive theoretical framework,” Akademik Araştırmalar ve Çalışmalar Dergisi (AKAD), 15(28), pp. 122-138. [https://doi.org/10.20990/kilisiibfakademik.1245216]
  • Aydin, E. and Azizoğlu, Ö.(2022), “A new term for an existing concept: Quiet Quitting-A selfdetermination perspective,” In International Congress on Critical Debates in Social Sciences, pp.285-295.
  • Baek, H. O. and Shin, J. K.(2018), “The Moderating Effects of Individual and Organizational Characteristics in the Relationship between Abusive Supervision and Job Engagement,” Organization and Human Resource Management Research, 42(4), pp.1-33. [https://doi.org/10.36459/jom.2018.42.4.1]
  • Blader, S. L. and Chen, Y.-R.(2011), “What influences how higher-status people respond to lowerstatus others? Effects of procedural fairness, outcome favorability, and concerns about status,” Organization Science, 22(4), pp. 1040-1060. [https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.1100.0558]
  • Carver, C. S. and Scheier, M. F.(1998), On the selfregulation of behavior, Cambridge University Press. [https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781139174794]
  • Chen, Y. R., Peterson, R. S., Phillips, D. J., Podolny, J. M., and Ridgeway, C. L. (2012), “Introduction to the special issue: Bringing status to the table―attaining, maintaining, and experiencing status in organizations and markets,” Organization Science, 23(2), pp.299-307. [https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.1110.0668]
  • De Clercq, D., Jahanzeb, S., and Fatima, T. (2021), “How abusive supervision ultimately might enhance performance ratings among silent, neurotic employees,” Personnel Review, 50(5), pp.1297-1315. [https://doi.org/10.1108/PR-01-2020-0007]
  • Detert, J.(2022), “Quiet quitting and the great resignation have a common cause–dissatisfied workers feel they can’t speak up in the workplace,” The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/quiet-quitting-and-the-great-resignation-have-a-common-cause-dissatisfied-workers-feel-they-cant-speak-up-in-the-workplace-190390, (ErişimTarihi:18.10.2022).
  • Diekmann, K., Sondak, H., and Barsness, Z. (2007), “Does fairness matter more to some than to others? The moderating role of workplace status on the relationship between procedural fairness perceptions and job satisfaction,” Social Justice Research, 20, pp.161-180. [https://doi.org/10.1007/s11211-007-0036-x]
  • Djurdjevic, E., Stoverink, A. C., Klotz, A. C., Koopman, J., da Motta Veiga, S. P., Yam, K. C., and Chiang, J. T. J.(2017), “Workplace status: The development and validation of a scale,” Journal of Applied Psychology, 102(7), pp. 1124-1147. [https://doi.org/10.1037/apl0000202]
  • Dyne, L. V., Ang, S., and Botero, I. C.(2003), “Conceptualizing employee silence and employee voice as multidimensional constructs,” Journal of Management Studies, 40(6), pp.1359-1392. [https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-6486.00384]
  • Formica, S. and Sfodera, F.(2022), “The great resignation and quiet quitting paradigm shifts: An overview of current situation and future research directions,” Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management, 31(8), pp.899-907. [https://doi.org/10.1080/19368623.2022.2136601]
  • Hair, J. F., Black, W. C., Babin, B. J., and Anderson, R. E.(2010), Multivariate data analysis (7th ed.), Prentice Hall.
  • Hamouche, S., Koritos, C., and Papastathopoulos, A.(2023), “Quiet quitting: Relationship with other concepts and implications for tourism and hospitality,” International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 35(12), pp.4297-4312. [https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCHM-11-2022-1362]
  • Hobfoll, S. E.(1989), “Conservation of resources: A new attempt at conceptualizing stress,” American Psychologist, 44(3), pp.513-524. [https://doi.org/10.1037//0003-066X.44.3.513]
  • Hobfoll, S. E.(2002), “Social and psychological resources and adaptation,” Review of General Psychology, 6(4), pp.307-324. [https://doi.org/10.1037//1089-2680.6.4.307]
  • Kiewitz, C., Restubog, S. L. D., Shoss, M. K., Garcia, P. R. J. M., and Tang, R. L. (2016), “Suffering in silence: Investigating the role of fear in the relationship between abusive supervision and defensive silence,” Journal of Applied Psychology, 101(5), pp.731-742. [https://doi.org/10.1037/apl0000074]
  • Kim, K. T., Lee, H. W., and Sohn, Y. W.(2023), “A Validation Study of the Multidimensional Quiet Quitting Scale (MQQS),” Korean Journal of Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 36(4), pp.557-583.
  • Lam, L. W., & Xu, A. J.(2019), “Power imbalance and employee silence: The role of abusive leadership, power distance orientation, and perceived organisational politics,” Applied Psychology, 68(3), pp.513-546. [https://doi.org/10.1111/apps.12170]
  • Liang, S. G.(2023), “I just don’t want to lose face: a self-image reparative response framework of how and when abused subordinates improve their performance,” Asia Pacific Journal of Management, 40(4), pp.1461-1480. [https://doi.org/10.1007/s10490-022-09827-8]
  • Lim, J. H., Tai, K., Bamberger, P. A., and Morrison, E. W.(2020), “Soliciting resources from others: An integrative review,” Academy of Management Annals, 14(1), pp.122-159. [https://doi.org/10.5465/annals.2018.0034]
  • Mahand, T. and Caldwell, C.(2023), “Quiet quittingcauses and opportunities,” Business and Management Research, 12(1), pp.9-19. [https://doi.org/10.5430/bmr.v12n1p9]
  • Marr, J. C. and Thau, S.(2014), “Falling from great (and not-so-great) heights: How initial status position influences performance after status loss,” Academy of Management Journal, 57(1), pp.223-248. [https://doi.org/10.5465/amj.2011.0909]
  • Mitchell, M. S. and Ambrose, M. L.(2007), “Abusive supervision and workplace deviance and the moderating effects of negative reciprocity beliefs,” Journal of Applied Psychology, 92(4), pp.1159-1168. [https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.92.4.1159]
  • Öztürk, E., Arikan, Ö. U., and Ocak, M.(2023), “Understanding quiet quitting: Triggers, antecedents and consequences,” Uluslararası Davranış, Sürdürülebilirlik ve Yönetim Dergisi, 10(18), pp.57-79. [https://doi.org/10.54709/jobesam.1299018]
  • Park, H. T., Son, S. Y., and Yun, S. H.(2014), “The types of abusive supervision and task performance,” Journal of Human Resource Management Research, 21(3), pp.21-46. [https://doi.org/10.14396/jhrmr.2014.21.3.21]
  • Peltokorpi, V.(2019), “Abusive supervision and emotional exhaustion: The moderating role of power distance orientation and the mediating role of interaction avoidance,” Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources, 57(3), pp. 251-275. [https://doi.org/10.1111/1744-7941.12188]
  • Pettit, N. C., Yong, K., and Spataro, S. E.(2010), “Holding your place: Reactions to the prospect of status gains and losses,” Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 46(2), pp. 396-401. [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2009.12.007]
  • Potipiroon, W. and Ford, M. T.(2019), “Relational costs of status: Can the relationship between supervisor incivility, perceived support, and follower outcomes be exacerbated?,” Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 92(4), pp.873-896. [https://doi.org/10.1111/joop.12263]
  • Qin, X., DiRenzo, M. S., Xu, M., and Duan, Y. (2014), “When do emotionally exhausted employees speak up? Exploring the potential curvilinear relationship between emotional exhaustion and voice,” Journal of Organizational Behavior, 35(7), pp.1018-1041. [https://doi.org/10.1002/job.1948]
  • Rodwell, J., Brunetto, Y., Demir, D., Shacklock, K., and Farr-Wharton, R. (2014), “Abusive supervision and links to nurse intentions to quit,” Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 46(5), pp.357-365. [https://doi.org/10.1111/jnu.12089]
  • Shaukat, R. and Khurshid, A.(2022), “Woes of silence: The role of burnout as a mediator between silence and employee outcomes,” Personnel Review, 51(5), pp.1570-1586. [https://doi.org/10.1108/PR-07-2020-0550]
  • Simons, T. L. and Peterson, R. S.(2000), “Task conflict and relationship conflict in top management teams: The pivotal role of intragroup trust,” Journal of Applied Psychology, 85(1), pp. 102-111. [https://doi.org/10.1037//0021-9010.85.1.102]
  • Stein, M., Vincent-Höper, S., Schümann, M., and Gregersen, S.(2020), “Beyond mistreatment at the relationship level: Abusive supervision and illegitimate tasks,” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(8), pp. 2722. [https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17082722]
  • Tayfun, A., ÇETİNER, N., and YURDAKUL, G. (2023), “Quiet quitting: Building a comprehensive theoretical framework,” Akademik Araştırmalar ve Çalışmalar Dergisi (AKAD), 15(28), pp. 122-138. [https://doi.org/10.20990/kilisiibfakademik.1245216]
  • Tepper, B. J.(2000), “Consequences of abusive supervision,” Academy of Management Journal, 43(2), pp.178-190. [https://doi.org/10.2307/1556375]
  • Tepper, B. J.(2007), “Abusive supervision in work organizations: Review, synthesis, and research agenda,” Journal of Management, 33(3), pp. 261-289. [https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206307300812]
  • Tong, J. and Spitzmueller, C.(2024), “To reflect or to detach after work? Relating interpersonal challenge and hindrance stressors to engagement and burnout,” International Journal of Stress Management. Advance online publication. [https://doi.org/10.1037/str0000317]
  • Wang, C. C., Hsieh, H. H., and Wang, Y. D. (2020), “Abusive supervision and employee engagement and satisfaction: The mediating role of employee silence,” Personnel Review, 49(9), pp.1845-1858. [https://doi.org/10.1108/PR-04-2019-0147]
  • Whitman, M. V., Halbesleben, J. R., and Holmes IV, O.(2014), “Abusive supervision and feedback avoidance: The mediating role of emotional exhaustion,” Journal of Organizational Behavior, 35(1), pp.38-53. [https://doi.org/10.1002/job.1852]
  • Yammarino, F. J., Cheong, M., Kim, J., and Tsai, C. Y.(2020), “Is leadership more than ‘I like my boss?’,” In Research in Personnel and Human Resources Management, 38, pp.1-55.
  • Zenger, J. and Folkman, J.(2022), “Quiet quitting is about bad bosses, not bad employees,” Harvard Business Review, 31.
  • Zhou, L., Yang, K., Wang, Z., and Luo, Z.(2019), “When do employees speak up under job stressors? Exploring the potential U-shaped relationship between hindrance stressors and voice behavior,” Frontiers in Psychology, 10, pp.2336. [https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02336]

∙The author Ke Zhang obtained her master’s and doctoral degrees in business administration from Kyung Hee University and currently serves as a lecturer at its School of Management. Her primary research areas include job crafting, leadership, and individual ambidexterity, with a particular focus on how interactions between individuals and leaders within organizations influence performance and innovation.

∙The author Jasook Koo is currently a professor of Management at the School of Management at Kyung Hee University. She earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in psychology from Seoul National University and later obtained a Ph.D. in psychology from Harvard University. Her primary research areas include job crafting, female leadership, and work-life balance.

∙The author Lan Jin is a doctoral candidate at the School of Management at Kyung Hee University. Her main research areas include organizational behavior, leadership, and trust.

∙The author Minyoung Cheong (Ph.D., State University of New York at Binghamton) is an Associate Professor of Management at the School of Management at Kyung Hee University. His current research interests include the paradox of autonomy, two faces of ambidexterity, and levels of analysis and multilevel issues in management and leadership. His work has been published in Leadership Quarterly, Organizational Research Methods, and Journal of Organizational Behavior, among other journal outlets.