ASSESSING THE SPILLOVER EFFECT OF DESPOTIC LEADERSHIP ON ORGANIZATIONAL LIFE IN THE FORM OF WORKPLACE INCIVILITY: THE SERIAL MEDIATION OF COGNITIVE DISSONANCE AND MORAL DISENGAGEMENT

Abstract

The present study investigates the link between despotic leadership (DL) and workplace incivility (WPI), proposing a serial mediation by cognitive dissonance (CD) and moral disengagement (MD). Survey data were collected from 301 employees in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Hypotheses were tested using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS‑SEM) in SmartPLS 4. The results show that DL significantly predicts WPI both directly and indirectly through CD and MD. Moreover, a serial pathway is supported DL → CD → MD → WPI—such that DL heightens CD, which in turn triggers MD, culminating in greater incivility at work. These findings advance leadership and organizational behavior research by clarifying the cognitive and moral mechanisms Via which toxic leadership fuels deviant outcomes. Practically, the study underscores the need for leadership development, ethics training, and HR interventions to alleviate employee strain and promote civility in high‑pressure organizational contexts.