Opportunity, job pressure, neutalization and deviant workplace behaviour in Academia

Drawing from fraud triangle theory and neutralization theory, the present study adopted fraud triangle theory-like framework to explain negative deviance.The purpose of this study is to examine the mediating role of neutralization on the relationship between opportunity, job pressure and deviant workplace behavior among faculty members in Nigerian public higher educational institutions (HEIs).The study adapted some established instruments to collect data from 356 full time faculty members in Nigeria and used partial least square structural equation modelling for analysis.Results indicate that neutralization mediated the negative relationship between perceived ethical climate and interpersonal deviance. Also, neutralization mediated the positive relationship between perceived workload and interpersonal deviance as well as the relationship between work pressure and interpersonal deviance.Contrary to expectations, neutralization did not mediate the relationships between the predictors and organizational deviance. To minimize deviance, administrators of HEIs need to strengthen internal mechanisms, which do create opportunity for organizational and interpersonal deviance and review existing workload and work pressure that may constitute pressure on faculty members.In conclusion, the application of FTT-like models such as in the present study will help to formulate preventive strategies against deviance in HEIs