WHY DO MILLENNIALS PERFORM DYSFUNCTIONAL BEHAVIOR TOWARDS AN ORGANIZATION? AN EXPLORATORY STUDY IN AN URBAN CAMPUS
Hastuti Naibaho (1), Endang Pitaloka (2*), Yohanes Totok Suyoto (3)

1,2,3 Department of Management & Jaya Launch Pad, Universitas Pembangunan Jaya, Indonesia
*Corresponding author: oka[at]upj.ac.id

Abstract

Organizations can determine what constitutes dysfunctional behavior in a number of ways, often by aligning with the shared social values of the local society in which the organization operates. In relation to this, urban environments pose a particular challenge to organizations as its higher degree of diversity compared to rural areas often leads to its residents having a different ethical testimony from the common local society and, subsequently, the organization. This is especially prevalent in urban millennials of Indonesia, as said difference in moral reference to the organization is compounded by the high levels of self-confidence the urban millennials have, as well as the far greater exposure to even more different references of moral values they get as a side-effect of their expertise on using modern technology. This study was conducted on an urban campus, with 197 students from various study programs being the respondents. Data collection used open-ended questions distributed through online surveys, which were then followed up by focus group discussions to obtain more detailed answers. The results showed that the main targets of the students^ dysfunctional behavior were the college itself, the lecturing staff, and the student-led organizations. The most common reasons for this behavior are disappointment with the goal and being encouraged by other students. The study also found that despite being aware that their actions were deemed unethical by the target, students who committed dysfunctional behaviors did not feel guilty because they believed the target deserved it. The findings of this study are useful for organizational behavior research, particularly in the study of dysfunctional behavior, as it provides empirical data to support that retaliation is one of the antecedents of dysfunctional behavior.

Keywords: revenge behavior, perception of justice, service failure recovery, consumer ethical standards

Topic: Management (HR, Marketing, Finance, Operational, and Strategic Management)