Job insecurity and unethical pro-organizational behavior: The joint moderating effects of moral identity and proactive personality

Unethical pro-organizational behavior (UPB) is an increasingly prevalent workplace behavior resulting from job insecurity (JI). However, willingness to engage in UPB in the face of JI may vary because of individual differences. Intending to reveal which personal factors affect the JI–UPB link, this study uses self-regulation theory to introduce a new framework that explores the moderating effects of moral identity and proactive personality on the JI–UPB link. Upon examining two samples ( N sample 1 = 481, N sample 2 = 368) of Chinese employees, results show that the positive JI–UPB link was weakened by moral identity but strengthened by proactive personality. Furthermore, the positive JI–UPB link was weaker for individuals with high proactive personality-high moral identity than the link for those with high proactive personality-low moral identity. Our findings have significant implications for theory and practice. • Moral identity weakens the positive relationship between job insecurity (JI) and unethical pro-organizational behavior (UPB). • Proactive personality strengthens the JI–UPB link and negatively moderates the buffering effect of moral identity. • This research reveals when job-insecure employees commit UPB based on self-regulation theory.