The effect of kitchen workers manipulative personality structure on cooperative behavior in the food and beverage industry: The mediating role of organizational trust and the moderating role of gender

This study examines the relationships between manipulative personality tendency, organizational trust, and cooperative behavior among employees working in the kitchen departments of food and beverage establishments. In addition, it investigates whether gender moderates the effect of manipulative personality tendency on cooperation. The research was conducted within a quantitative, cross-sectional, descriptive–relational survey design among kitchen staff employed in hotel, restaurant, and contract catering businesses operating in Konya, Türkiye. As the data collection tool, a questionnaire consisting of demographic questions and three scales whose validity and reliability have been established in the literature was used, and a total of 317 questionnaires were collected between April and June 2025. Data were analyzed using SPSS and the PROCESS macro. Following descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, multiple linear regression, mediation, and moderation analyses were performed. The findings indicate that kitchen employees' manipulative personality tendencies are at a moderate level, their perceptions of organizational trust are at a moderate level, and their cooperative behavior is at a relatively lower level. According to the correlation and regression results, manipulative personality tendency has a strong and negative effect on both cooperative behavior and organizational trust, whereas organizational trust positively and significantly predicts cooperative behavior. PROCESS analysis revealed that organizational trust plays a partial mediating role in the relationship between manipulative personality tendency and cooperative behavior. With regard to the moderating role of gender, the overall model did not provide evidence for a significant moderation effect; the negative impact of manipulative tendencies on cooperation appears to operate in a similar way for both female and male employees. In conclusion, the study demonstrates that manipulative personality tendencies weaken both the climate of trust and the culture of cooperation within kitchen teams, whereas management practices that strengthen organizational trust play a critical role in enhancing cooperation. Accordingly, it is recommended that kitchen management incorporate personality-focused assessments into recruitment processes, implement training programs that support intra-team communication and trust, and develop fair performance and reward systems that encourage cooperative behavior.