The Impact of Neuroticism and Extraversion on Deviant Workplace Behavior: The Mediating Role of Bootlegging

Abstract

This paper aims to understand how personality traits effect deviant behavior in organizations, with bootlegging behavior as a mediating process. Bootlegging, defined as the unauthorized, informal activities that employees engage in outside the organization's formal procedures, is a critical mechanism that explains how personality traits are related to deviant outcomes. This research investigates the role of neuroticism and extraversion in influencing the likelihood of bootlegging behavior, which in turn affects the manifestation of deviant actions. The results show that neuroticism is positively associated with deviant behavior through bootlegging, whereas the relationship between extraversion and both bootlegging and deviance is less straightforward. Implications for organizational management and potential areas for future research are presented.