The Mediating Role of Organizational Anomie in the Relationship between Toxic Leadership and Counterproductive Work Behaviors: An Empirical Study

Abstract

This research aimed at examining the direct impact of Toxic leadership on counterproductive work behaviors at The National Authority for Egyptian Railways and exploring whether organizational anomie plays a mediating role in this relationship. The research began with a literature review of Toxic leadership, counterproductive work behaviors organizational anomie followed by developing a conceptual framework and formulating four main hypotheses. A field study was then conducted using a sample of 324 (21 top management, 303 middle management) at The National Authority for Egyptian Railways and the number of completed questionnaires is 308. Collected data were analyzed using the Structural Equation Modeling. Statistical results revealed that all dimensions of the Toxic leadership (Self-promotion, Abusive supervision, Unpredictability, Narcissism, Authoritarian leadership) have a statistically significant positive direct impact on counterproductive work at The National Authority for Egyptian Railways. Regarding the direct impact of Toxic leadership dimensions on all dimensions of organizational anomie (organizational cynicism, organizational normlessness, organizational valuelessness), besides, it was found that all dimensions of Toxic leadership have a statistically significant positive direct impact on all dimensions of organizational anomie except Authoritarian leadership hasn't a statistically significant positive direct impact on organizational normlessness. Moreover, Statistical results also revealed that all dimensions of organizational anomie have statistically significant direct impact on counterproductive work behaviors. Finally, regarding the mediation of organizational anomie, findings showed that all dimensions of organizational anomie play a mediating role in the relationship between Toxic leadership and counterproductive work behaviors at The National Authority for Egyptian Railways.