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Workplace Deviance: A Non-Western Perspective

Deviance is defined as actions that are opposed to generally accepted norms or violate acceptable behaviours within a society. Much of the deviant literature emphasises how the divergence from acceptable standards or behaviour is deviant. However, this begs the question: what happens when an acceptable norm is unethical or ought to be? In response, this entry calls into question the work-chop phenomenon in Nigeria. The work-chop phenomenon supports using dishonest means for personal gain. It is promoted via a repetitive statement that appeals to the listeners’ cognition and sentiments. Its prevalence makes it a norm in some sense, so defining deviance from a Western perspective alone leaves room for this nuanced phenomenon to go unnoticed in the literature. Based on secondary research and normative ethical theories, the authors argue that work-chop is ethical deviance because its means and ends are not mutually beneficial to the parties involved.

workplace deviance ethics leadership followership Nigeria

Much of the deviant literature emphasises how the follower’s or employees’ divergence from acceptable standards or behaviour is deviant or bad. However, defining deviance from such a Westernised perspective alone could leave room for the mislabelling of inherently unethical behaviours that are viewed as acceptable norms. Hence, the work-chop phenomenon is introduced to the academic literature as unethical behaviour, which may only have been experienced in the discussed non-Western context. This means a nuanced interpretation of deviance is important given that the characterisation in the extant literature falls flat in the face of a different context. Based on an objective ethical position, this entry makes a compelling case for situating work-chop as ethical deviance. Additionally, it highlights the leader–follower relationship, particularly emphasising how leaders contribute to enabling followers’ work-chopping behaviours. Hence, although the study is delimited to the specificities of deviant behaviours within a specific context, it is not necessarily about the criticism of a people group. Instead, the argument is that there are differences in how these behaviours are perceived or enacted in non-Western settings. Geoghegan [1] commented that ‘In modern-day Britain, the law-abiding are being treated as oppressors while the criminals get off scot-free’ further accentuates the moral decadence of humans in a fallen world, be it in the first or third world. The profundity and simplicity of the message conveyed in this entry highlight the need for more contextual studies [2], particularly the incorporation of concepts from the African context into the global literature. The entry is based on a traditional review of the extant literature sourced from reputable journal articles, websites, and databases.

References

  1. Geoghegan, R. In Lawless Britain Only the Innocent Are Punished. 2024. Available online: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/03/04/in-lawless-britain-only-the-innocent-are-punished/ (accessed on 14 March 2024).
  2. Johns, G. The context deficit in leadership research. Leadersh. Q. 2024, 35, 101755.
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Subjects: Sociology
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Online Date: 23 Jun 2025
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