Examining the Impact of Illegitimate Tasks on Counterproductive Work Behaviour through Workplace Incivility: With Special Reference to a Leading Container Terminal in Port of Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Abstract

This research aims to examine the impact of Illegitimate Tasks on counterproductive work behaviour through workplace Incivility. In addition to that, this study intends to contribute to filling the knowledge gap by looking into the relationship between Illegitimate Tasks and Counterproductive Work Behaviour, whereas workplace incivility is defined as an underlying reason through which this association exists. Although the relationship between Illegitimate Tasks and Counterproductive Work Behaviour is established in western literature, no studies have examined these in the Sri Lankan context. Therefore, this study explored the relationship and examined the influence of those variables among the employees working in a leading container terminal in the port of Colombo in Sri Lanka. This research is deductive (theory–testing) research. This research was conducted using a survey research strategy and quantitative research method. Employees of the ABC container terminal at the port of Colombo were chosen as the population. of the study. A simple random sampling technique was exercised in selecting the sample of 168 respondents. A Google form was created and distributed to collect data. Descriptive and inferential statistics, namely correlation and regression, were used to analyze data. The results indicate a significant positive impact of Illegitimate Tasks on counterproductive work behaviour through workplace Incivility.