ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews the theoretical and empirical literature on counterproductive work behaviour (CWB) to date with the primary goal of understanding what motivates employees to engage in CWB. Neuman and Baron argued that the term workplace aggression should be used in lieu of CWB because it provides a more direct path to using aggression theory as an organizing framework. The notion that CWB may be the result of 'cold' cognitive processes as opposed to an expression of 'hot' emotional processes is another area requiring empirical investigation Gino and Margolis conducted a series of laboratory studies to examine how differences in regulatory focus affect unethical behaviour. The theory of planned behaviour and theories of ethical decision making are cognitive theories that emphasize individual attitudes and objectives while also incorporating aspects of social information processing to predict behaviour. According to Levinson and organizational support theory, employees tend to anthropomorphize their organizations by attributing the behaviour of organizational representatives to the organization.
