Examining the combined effects of Cyberbullying, ethical climate, and dark triad personality on work outcomes: Unravelling the mechanisms of vengeful rumination and knowledge sabotage behaviours

Abstract

The present study aims to examine the relationship between cyberbullying and knowledge sabotage, an extreme form of counterproductive knowledge sharing behaviour. The study considers vengeful rumination as a bridging mechanism between cyberbullying and knowledge sabotage, whereby victims of cyberbullying engage in retaliatory behaviour in response to a perceived interpersonal transgression. Although workplace bullying has been proposed as a potential antecedent of knowledge sabotage, there is no extant research on the link between cyberbullying and knowledge sabotage in the workplace. The prevalence of knowledge sabotage is alarming, with almost half of employees reporting being victims of sabotaged knowledge. Effective knowledge management is critical for organizational competitiveness, and information sharing barriers can cost firms millions of dollars annually. However, the mechanisms and causes of knowledge sabotage are not well understood. This study aims to add to the existing research by looking at how cyberbullying, vengeful rumination, and knowledge sabotage are connected and their consequences. Particularly on an individual (psychological strain) and group level (interpersonal harmony and team performance). Furthermore, the study will examine the role of dark triad personality traits and a caring ethical climate in mitigating or exacerbating these relationships. The study will be the first to investigate how cyberbullying victimization impacts knowledge sabotage through vengeful rumination. The study's findings will have practical implications for organizations, allowing them to recognize the negative impact of cyberbullying on their employees and take measures to prevent it.