Article
Effect of a Protestant Work Ethic on Burnout: Mediating Effect
of Emotional Dissonance and Moderated Mediating Effect of
Negative Emotion Regulation
Sukbong Choi
1
, Yungil Kang
2
and Kyunghwan Yeo
3,
*
Citation: Choi, S.; Kang, Y.; Yeo, K.
Effect of a Protestant Work Ethic on
Burnout: Mediating Effect of
Emotional Dissonance and
Moderated Mediating Effect of
Negative Emotion Regulation.
Sustainability 2021, 13, 5909. https://
doi.org/10.3390/su13115909
Academic Editor: João Carlos de
Oliveira Matias
Received: 15 April 2021
Accepted: 15 May 2021
Published: 24 May 2021
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1
College of Global Business, Korea University, 2511 Sejong-ro, Sejong City 30019, Korea; sukchoi@korea.ac.kr
2
Graduate School of Business, Sakarya University, isletme enstitusu, Esentepe Kampusu Serdivan Sakarya,
Sakarya 54050, Turkey; gil.kang@ogr.sakarya.edu.tr
3
HR Institute for University-Industry Cooperation, Keimyung University, 1095 Dalgubeol-daero, Dalseo-gu,
Daegu 42601, Korea
* Correspondence: ykh0544@kmu.ac.kr
Abstract:
This study examined the effect of the Protestant work ethic on burnout using a sample of
259 South Korean workers from a manufacturing firm. We also investigated the mediating role of
emotional dissonance on this effect and addressed the moderating and moderated mediating roles
of negative emotion regulation on the relationship between Protestant work ethic and emotional
dissonance. Our empirical results indicated a significant direct negative effect of the Protestant work
ethic on burnout, but there was no evidence of an indirect relationship between these. Results also
found that negative emotion regulation changed the relationship between Protestant work ethic
and emotional dissonance. In addition, negative emotion regulation changed the mediating role of
emotional dissonance in the relationship between Protestant work ethic and burnout. The study is
meaningful in that it grasped the importance of value as a major factor in job burnout, and it finally
confirmed the antecedents of Koreans’ diligence.
Keywords: protestant work ethic; burnout; negative emotion regulation; emotional dissonance
1. Introduction
According to the IMF’s 2019 World Economic Outlook, South Korea ranked 30th in the
world with a GDP per capita of USD 31,431 in 2019. However, according to the World Bank,
as of 1953, South Korea’s GNI per capita was only USD 67, and it was one of the poorest
countries in the world. Although the efforts of the state and companies played a large role
in this economic growth, the diligence of South Koreans as organizational members also
had a significant effect [
1
]. The job attitude of South Koreans, who do not show tiredness
and are devoted to their duties despite very harsh working conditions, can be considered
the driving force that led the development of companies and the whole country.
This study focuses on the role of the Protestant work ethic (PWE) on job burnout.
This is because existing research on the preceding factors of job burnout mainly studied
organizational and individual characteristics, but they also attempted to identify the sources
of job burnout by focusing on the characteristics of organizations/jobs and individuals as
well as other environmental factors. As representative factors of job burnout, the personal
factors include positive psychological capital [
2
], emotional intelligence [
3
], self-efficacy [
4
],
locus of control, and emotional stability [
5
]. Job-related factors include role conflict [
6
],
job overload [
7
], job performance [
8
], and job demand–job resources [
2
,
9
,
10
]. Prior studies
did not pay attention to the society surrounding the organization, more specifically, the
dominant values of the society as antecedents of job burnout. Inglehart [
11
] argued that
through the theory of value change, members and groups belonging to a society are greatly
influenced by the dominant values of that society. From this perspective, this study believes
Sustainability 2021, 13, 5909. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13115909 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/sustainability
