When and why does proactive personality inhibit corner-cutting behaviors: A moderated mediation model of customer orientation and productivity climate

This study extends prior research by examining when and why proactive employees are less likely to engage in corner-cutting behaviors. We proposed that proactive personality is negatively related to corner-cutting behaviors via customer orientation, and productivity climate further enhances this negative effect. In Study 1, data collected using a two-wave panel survey from 191 working adults with customer-facing roles from the United Kingdom and the United States supported the hypotheses. Results were replicated in Study 2, using a multi-wave field survey of 209 frontline service employees from restaurants in China. The findings imply that to mitigate the occurrence of corner-cutting behaviors, organizations can screen job applicants based on their traits (i.e., proactive personality) and promote service employees' customer orientation.