Managing Role Boundaries with Low Value Congruence: An Examination of Work-to-Family Conflict, Conscientiousness, and Unethical Work Behavior Intentions

This study investigated the impact of segmentation/integration value congruence on work interference with family (WIF) and how WIF may influence employees’ intentions to engage in unethical work behavior (UWB). The scarcity hypothesis and the conflict perspective were used to explain why low segmentation/integration value congruence may diminish employees’ resources, hinder employees from fulfilling family responsibilities, and potentially contribute to WIF. Organizational support theory, social exchange theory and the norm of reciprocity offered insight regarding why WIF may increase the likelihood that employees will engage in UWB. Finally, this study explored how conscientiousness may impact various relationships between segmentation/integration value congruence, WIF, and UWB intentions. Findings did not offer enough evidence supporting WIF as a mediator between segmentation/integration value congruence and UWB intentions. However, partial support was found for the hypothesized model, as conscientiousness significantly interacted with both segmentation/integration value congruence and WIF (respectively) to predict UWB intentions.