Authenticity and Theft in the Hospitality Industry in Bayelsa State, Nigeria
Dinanga Gladys Okolai, Dr Jasmine O Tamunosiki-Amadi
Abstract
This study examined the relationship between authenticity and theft of employees in the hospitality industry in Bayelsa state, Nigeria. The study adopted a cross-sectional survey design. The population of the study consists of all hotels registered with Bayelsa State Tourism Development and Hotel Licensing Agency, with an accessible population of 988 employees drawn from 25 three-star hotels in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. A sample of 285 employees was drawn using Taro Yamene’s formula, and Bowley’s Proportional Allocation Technique was adopted. Data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire, the reliability analysis showed strong internal consistency across the scales used. Spearman Ranked Order Correlation Coefficient statistical tool was used to analyse the quantitative data. The results were considered statistically significant, as the p-value was less than .01 level (p < .001). Findings revealed a statistically significant relationship between authenticity and theft. Based on the findings, the study concluded that there is a significant relationship between authenticity and theft of hotel employees in the hospitality industry in Bayelsa state. It was recommended that; management provide training focused on authenticity, encourage team leaders to model professional behaviours aimed at setting standards that others can emulate and in addition hotel management should recognise and reward authentic behaviours. This can mitigate deviant work behaviours such as theft in the organisation.
Keywords
authenticity
theft
employee
organisation
deviant behaviours
References
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Cascio, W. (2013). Performance Management: Managing Human Resources (5th International
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Dammann, O., Freidericks, K. M., Lebedinski, S., & Liesenfeld, K. M. (2021). The essence of
authenticity. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 1- 6. https://doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.629654
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(2022). Does authentic leadership influences performance of individuals in presence of
trust and leader member exchange: an evidence from health care sector, Cogent
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Goleman, D., & Boyatzis, R. (2023). Emotional and social intelligence competencies:
Promoting authenticity in the workplace. Harvard Business Review, 101(2), 50-65.
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Klotz, A. C., & Buckley, M. R. (2013). A historical perspective of counterproductive work
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https://doi.org/10.1007/s10869-019-09672-z
Korgaonkar, P., Becerra-Enrique P., Mangleburg, T. & Bilgihan A. (2021). Retail employee
theft: When retail security alone is not enough. Psychology & Marketing, 38(5), 721-
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https://doi.org/10.1108/MHSI-11-2020-0077
Murphy, N.A. (2007). Appearing smart: The impression management of intelligence, person
perception accuracy, and behaviour in social interaction. Personality and Social
Psychology Bulletin, 33, 325- 339.
Nawawi, A., & Salin, A. S. A. P. (2018). Employee fraud and misconduct: Empirical evidence
from a telecommunication company. Information and Computer Security, 26(1), 129–
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Nguyen, P. M. B., & Truong, G. N. T. (2021). Employee theft behaviour: A case study of fivestar hotels in Vietnam. International Journal of Asian Business and Information
Management, 12(3), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.4018/IJABIM.294098
Niehoff, B. P., & Paul, R. J. (2000). Causes of employee theft and strategies that HR managers
can use for prevention. Human Resources Management, 39(1), 51-64
O’leary-Kelly, A. M., Griff R.W., & Glew D. J. (1996). Organisation-motivated aggression: A
research framework. The academy of management review, 21(1), 225 – 253.
https://doi/105465/AMR.1996.9602161571
Oliphant, B. J., & Oliphant, G. C. (2001). Using a behaviour-based method to identify and
reduce employee theft. International Journal of Retail & Distribution
Management, 29(10), 442-451
Parker, J., Nelson, R., & Martinez, S. (2023). The role of social intelligence in the hospitality
industry: Enhancing employee performance and reducing counterproductive
behaviours. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 49, 89-105.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhtm.2023.05.006
Piccoli, B. (2013). Counterproductive work behaviours: Clarify the role of job dissatisfaction
and organisational injustice as attitudinal predictors. International Journal of Business
Research, 13(4), 91-98. https://doi.org/10.18374/IJBR-13-4.7
Rickman, N., & Witt, R. (2007). The determinants of employee crime in the
UK. Economica, 74(293), 161-175
Robinson, S. L. & Bennett J. R. (1995). A typology of deviant workplace behaviours: A
multidimensional scaling study. The Academy of Management Journal, 38(2), 555 –
572 https://doi.org/10.2307/256693
Sauser Jr, W. I. (2007). Employee theft: Who, how, why, and what can be done. SAM Advanced
Management Journal, 72(3), 13.
Scarle, H. R. (2022). Counterproductive work behaviours Oxford Research Encyclopedias,
Psychology 1 – 19 https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780-190236557.013.880
Sciara, A., & Finkel, E. J. (2024). Just be real with me: Perceived partner authenticity promotes
relationship initiation via shared reality. Organisational Behavior and Human Decision
Processes, 180, 104306. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.obhdp.2023.104306Singh, R., & Garcia, L. (2023). Exploring the relationship between social intelligence and
ethical decision-making: Implications for absenteeism and theft reduction in the
workplace. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 34(1), 12-29.
https://doi.org/10.1002/hrdq.21408
Stevens, B. (2001). Hospitality Ethics: Responses from Human Resource Directors and
Students to Seven Ethical Scenarios. Journal of Business Ethics, 30(3), 233-242
Sutton, A. (2020). Living the good life: A meta-analysis of authenticity, well-being and
engagement. Personality and Individual Differences, 153 1-17.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2019.109645
Tang, Y., Xu, E., Huang, X., & Pu, X. (2023). When can display of authenticity at work
facilitate coworker interactions? The moderating effect of perception of organisational
politics. Human Relations, 76(1), 3–31. https://doi.org/10.1177/00187267211031834
Tarkan, G., & Tepeci, M. (2006). The effects of organisational justice and centralization on
employee theft: A study on the perceptions of Mersin university of tourism and hotel
management st
on university students’ academic success. Tourism and hospitality management, 16(1),
47-61
Bailey, A. A. (2006). Retail employee theft: a theory of planned behaviour
perspective. International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, 34(11), 802-
816.
Barrett, J. H. (1971). Six Simple Thefts. Cornell Hotel & Restaurant Administration Quarterly,
12(3), 76.
Beck, U. (1992). Risk Society. Sage
Cascio, W. (2013). Performance Management: Managing Human Resources (5th International
Edition) Irwin/McGraw-Hill Publishers.
Dammann, O., Freidericks, K. M., Lebedinski, S., & Liesenfeld, K. M. (2021). The essence of
authenticity. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 1- 6. https://doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.629654
Ghufran, A. K., Muhammad, A. K., Muhammad, I. A., Sultan, S., Sobia, R., & Hafsah, Z.
(2022). Does authentic leadership influences performance of individuals in presence of
trust and leader member exchange: an evidence from health care sector, Cogent
Business & Management, 9 (1), 1 – 15.
https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2022.2119539
Goleman, D., & Boyatzis, R. (2023). Emotional and social intelligence competencies:
Promoting authenticity in the workplace. Harvard Business Review, 101(2), 50-65.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hbr.2023.01.012
Greenberg, J. (1997). The steal motive: Managing the social determinants of employee theft.
Antisocial Behavior in Organisations Sage Publications
Greenberg, L. & Barling, J. (1999). Predicting employee aggression against coworkers,
subordinates and supervisors: The roles of person behaviours and perceived workplace
factors. Journal of Organisational Behaviour, 20, 897-913.
https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1099-1379(199911)20:63.0.CO;2-Z
Harper, D. (1990). Spotlight abuse-save profits. Industrial Distribution, 79, 47-5.
Hollinger, R.C. & Clark, J.P (1983). Theft by employees. Lexington. MA.: Lexington Books
Hopwood, C. J., Good, E. W., Levendosky, A. A., Zimmermann, J., Dumat, D., Finkel, J. E.,
Eastwick, E. P., & Bleidorn, W. (2021). Realness is core feature of authenticity. Journal
of Research in Personality, 92, 1-18 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rp.2021.104086
Johnson, R., Clarke, M., & Peters, S. (2023). Authenticity in the workplace: A study of its
impact on ethical behaviour and counterproductive work behaviours. Journal of
Business Ethics, 156(3), 275-293. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-023-05058-2
Klotz, A. C., & Buckley, M. R. (2013). A historical perspective of counterproductive work
behaviour targeting the organisation. Journal of Management History, 19(1), 114-132.
Knoll, M., Meyer, B., Kroemer, H., & Schroder, H. (2021). Authenticity at work: A review and
research agenda. Journal of Business and Psychology, 36(2), 247–265.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10869-019-09672-z
Korgaonkar, P., Becerra-Enrique P., Mangleburg, T. & Bilgihan A. (2021). Retail employee
theft: When retail security alone is not enough. Psychology & Marketing, 38(5), 721-
734. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/mar.21460
Krippel, G. L., Henderson, L. R., & Keene, M. A. (2008). Employee theft and the coastal South
Carolina hospitality industry: Incidence, detection, and response (Survey Results 2000,
2005). Tourism and Hospitality Research, 8 (3), 226-238.
https://doi.org/10.1057/thr.2008.2Kulas, J. T., McInerney, J. E., Rachel, F. D., & Jadwinski, V. (2007). Employee satisfaction
and theft: Testing climate perceptions as a mediator. The Journal of Psychology, 141(4),
389-402.
Ladkin, D. & Taylor, S. S. (2010). Enacting the ‘true self’: Towards a theory of embodied
authentic leadership. The Leadership Quarterly, 21, 64-74.
Lehman, D. W., O’Connor, K., Kovacs, B., & Newman, G. E. (2019). Authenticity. The
Academy of Management Annals 13(1), 1 – 42. https://doi/105465/anals.2017.0047
Leroy, H., Anseel, F., Gardner, W. L., & Sels, L. (2015). Authentic leadership, authentic
followership, basic need satisfaction, and work role performance: A cross-level study.
Journal of Management, 41(6), 1677-1697.
Mehta, P. (2021). Authenticity and employee wellbeing with reference to emotional work: A
review. Mental Health and Social Inclusion, 25(2), 146–158.
https://doi.org/10.1108/MHSI-11-2020-0077
Murphy, N.A. (2007). Appearing smart: The impression management of intelligence, person
perception accuracy, and behaviour in social interaction. Personality and Social
Psychology Bulletin, 33, 325- 339.
Nawawi, A., & Salin, A. S. A. P. (2018). Employee fraud and misconduct: Empirical evidence
from a telecommunication company. Information and Computer Security, 26(1), 129–
144. https://doi.org/10.1108/ICS-07-2017-0046
Nguyen, P. M. B., & Truong, G. N. T. (2021). Employee theft behaviour: A case study of fivestar hotels in Vietnam. International Journal of Asian Business and Information
Management, 12(3), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.4018/IJABIM.294098
Niehoff, B. P., & Paul, R. J. (2000). Causes of employee theft and strategies that HR managers
can use for prevention. Human Resources Management, 39(1), 51-64
O’leary-Kelly, A. M., Griff R.W., & Glew D. J. (1996). Organisation-motivated aggression: A
research framework. The academy of management review, 21(1), 225 – 253.
https://doi/105465/AMR.1996.9602161571
Oliphant, B. J., & Oliphant, G. C. (2001). Using a behaviour-based method to identify and
reduce employee theft. International Journal of Retail & Distribution
Management, 29(10), 442-451
Parker, J., Nelson, R., & Martinez, S. (2023). The role of social intelligence in the hospitality
industry: Enhancing employee performance and reducing counterproductive
behaviours. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 49, 89-105.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhtm.2023.05.006
Piccoli, B. (2013). Counterproductive work behaviours: Clarify the role of job dissatisfaction
and organisational injustice as attitudinal predictors. International Journal of Business
Research, 13(4), 91-98. https://doi.org/10.18374/IJBR-13-4.7
Rickman, N., & Witt, R. (2007). The determinants of employee crime in the
UK. Economica, 74(293), 161-175
Robinson, S. L. & Bennett J. R. (1995). A typology of deviant workplace behaviours: A
multidimensional scaling study. The Academy of Management Journal, 38(2), 555 –
572 https://doi.org/10.2307/256693
Sauser Jr, W. I. (2007). Employee theft: Who, how, why, and what can be done. SAM Advanced
Management Journal, 72(3), 13.
Scarle, H. R. (2022). Counterproductive work behaviours Oxford Research Encyclopedias,
Psychology 1 – 19 https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780-190236557.013.880
Sciara, A., & Finkel, E. J. (2024). Just be real with me: Perceived partner authenticity promotes
relationship initiation via shared reality. Organisational Behavior and Human Decision
Processes, 180, 104306. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.obhdp.2023.104306Singh, R., & Garcia, L. (2023). Exploring the relationship between social intelligence and
ethical decision-making: Implications for absenteeism and theft reduction in the
workplace. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 34(1), 12-29.
https://doi.org/10.1002/hrdq.21408
Stevens, B. (2001). Hospitality Ethics: Responses from Human Resource Directors and
Students to Seven Ethical Scenarios. Journal of Business Ethics, 30(3), 233-242
Sutton, A. (2020). Living the good life: A meta-analysis of authenticity, well-being and
engagement. Personality and Individual Differences, 153 1-17.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2019.109645
Tang, Y., Xu, E., Huang, X., & Pu, X. (2023). When can display of authenticity at work
facilitate coworker interactions? The moderating effect of perception of organisational
politics. Human Relations, 76(1), 3–31. https://doi.org/10.1177/00187267211031834
Tarkan, G., & Tepeci, M. (2006). The effects of organisational justice and centralization on
employee theft: A study on the perceptions of Mersin university of tourism and hotel
management st
