Screaming "Me,me,me": entitled employees and retaliation in the workplace

Abstract

A sense of entitlement is defined as an expectation of special or preferential treatment and is considered a trait for some individuals (Campbell, Bonacci, Shelton, Exline, & Bushman, 2004). The construct of entitlement is currently garnering attention amongst researchers in disciplines such as psychology, marketing, academia, and management. Arguably, the reasons for the increasing attention on this construct are widespread perceptions, albeit largely anecdotal, that a sense of entitlement is escalating in individuals across Western society. Prior research has also found numerous negative characteristics and outcomes to be positively associated with entitlement, including aggression, hostility anti-sociality, and conflict. To date, there is very limited research on entitlement in the workplace (Fisk, 2010; Harvey & Harris, 2010; Harvey & Martinko, 2009; Hochwarter, Summers, Thompson, Perrewé, & Ferris, 2010). Despite some discipline-based definitions in law, marketing, and academia, entitlement has yet to be clearly and consistently conceptualised in management literature, which may provide some explanation for the lack of existing research. Understanding entitlement at work is important given the links to counterproductive attitudes and behaviours. Counterproductive work attitudes and behaviours are phenomena that cost organisations much in both human capital and financial losses.