Organisational politics beyond the West: a systematic literature review and future research agenda
Negatu Abera Kebede, Yohannes Workeaferahu Elifneh, Asres Abitie KebedePurpose
This study aims to synthesise empirical evidence on the antecedents and outcomes of organisational politics (OP) in non-Western organisational settings, examining individual, organisational and work environment drivers alongside attitudinal, behavioural and performance-related outcomes.
Design/methodology/approach
A systematic literature review (SLR) was conducted to identify and synthesise 76 empirical studies on OP published between 2000 and 2025 and indexed in Scopus and Web of Science. The review was guided by PRISMA 2020 guidelines, and the included studies were analysed using narrative thematic synthesis.
Findings
The results indicate an advance in theory by demonstrating that OP in non-Western contexts is best understood as a multi-level and contextually embedded phenomenon, shaped by the interaction of individual traits, interpersonal relations, organisational structures and institutional conditions. OP generally produces negative attitudinal, behavioural and performance outcomes, though its effects are context-dependent and moderated by leadership, relational norms and governance conditions.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first comprehensive SLR of OP research in non-Western contexts. It synthesises evidence on multi-level antecedents, cultural and institutional influences, and their effects on employee attitudes, behaviours and performance, offering a foundation for future research and managerial practice.