From high hopes to deep disappointment: How do sales superstars engage in workplace deviance?

As market competition intensifies, sales superstars are coming into the spotlight. Owing to their performance, reputation, status, and social capital, some sales superstars may develop a sense of entitlement, potentially leading to workplace deviance. This study empirically analyzed questionnaire data from 427 sales superstars via Mplus 8.0 to explore the mechanisms of workplace deviance. We found a positive correlation between sales superstars’ star identity and workplace deviance. Both leader–member exchange (LMX) and psychological entitlement mediated the relationship between star identity and workplace deviance; further, moral disengagement moderated the relationship between star identity and workplace deviance. These results contribute to human resource management theory and offer practical guidance for managers to reduce workplace deviance among sales superstars and enhance organizational human resource utilization efficiency.