IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/jbrese/v165y2023ics0148296323004022.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Ethical leadership, subordinates’ moral identity and self-control: Two- and three-way interaction effect on subordinates’ ethical behavior

Author

Listed:
  • Al Halbusi, Hussam
  • Ruiz-Palomino, Pablo
  • Williams, Kent A.

Abstract

Ethical leadership has been shown to have a positive influence on employees’ moral behavior, but the strength of the relationship likely varies depending on several factors. We apply social learning theory and social cognitive theory to suggest that the association is stronger when the employees involved have high (versus low) moral identity and high (versus low) self-control. By testing the model using 375 supervisor-subordinate dyads at a large Iraqi organization, we demonstrated a separate strengthening role of subordinates’ self-control and moral identity in the positive effect of ethical leadership on their ethical behavior, and that ethical leadership had the strongest positive influence on the ethical conduct of employees with both high moral identity and high self-control. Our findings have important implications as they suggest that harnessing the full benefit of ethical leadership requires attention being paid to the characteristics of both leaders and subordinates.

Suggested Citation

  • Al Halbusi, Hussam & Ruiz-Palomino, Pablo & Williams, Kent A., 2023. "Ethical leadership, subordinates’ moral identity and self-control: Two- and three-way interaction effect on subordinates’ ethical behavior," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 165(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:165:y:2023:i:c:s0148296323004022
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2023.114044
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0148296323004022
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.jbusres.2023.114044?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mayowa T. Babalola & Jeroen Stouten & Jeroen Camps & Martin Euwema, 2019. "When Do Ethical Leaders Become Less Effective? The Moderating Role of Perceived Leader Ethical Conviction on Employee Discretionary Reactions to Ethical Leadership," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 154(1), pages 85-102, January.
    2. John J. Sosik & Jae Uk Chun & Ziya Ete & Fil J. Arenas & Joel A. Scherer, 2019. "Self-control Puts Character into Action: Examining How Leader Character Strengths and Ethical Leadership Relate to Leader Outcomes," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 160(3), pages 765-781, December.
    3. Kubilay Gok & John J. Sumanth & William H. Bommer & Ozgur Demirtas & Aykut Arslan & Jared Eberhard & Ali Ihsan Ozdemir & Ahmet Yigit, 2017. "You May Not Reap What You Sow: How Employees’ Moral Awareness Minimizes Ethical Leadership’s Positive Impact on Workplace Deviance," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 146(2), pages 257-277, December.
    4. Zhen Wang & Lu Xing & Haoying Xu & Sean T. Hannah, 2021. "Not All Followers Socially Learn from Ethical Leaders: The Roles of Followers’ Moral Identity and Leader Identification in the Ethical Leadership Process," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 170(3), pages 449-469, May.
    5. James Avey & Michael Palanski & Fred Walumbwa, 2011. "When Leadership Goes Unnoticed: The Moderating Role of Follower Self-Esteem on the Relationship Between Ethical Leadership and Follower Behavior," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 98(4), pages 573-582, February.
    6. Gino, Francesca & Schweitzer, Maurice E. & Mead, Nicole L. & Ariely, Dan, 2011. "Unable to resist temptation: How self-control depletion promotes unethical behavior," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 115(2), pages 191-203, July.
    7. Ruiz-Palomino, P. & Linuesa-Langreo, J., 2018. "Implications of person–situation interactions for Machiavellians' unethical tendencies: The buffering role of managerial ethical leadership," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 36(2), pages 243-253.
    8. Cheffi, Walid & Kaleem Zahir-ul-Hassan, Muhammad & Omer Farooq, Muhammad & Baqrain, Abdelrahman & Mohamed Habib Mansour, Mourad, 2023. "Ethical leadership, management control systems and circular economy in SMEs in an emerging economy, the UAE," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    9. Pablo Ruiz-Palomino & Ricardo Martinez-Cañas, 2011. "Supervisor Role Modeling, Ethics-Related Organizational Policies, and Employee Ethical Intention: The Moderating Impact of Moral Ideology," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 102(4), pages 653-668, September.
    10. Bandura, Albert, 1991. "Social cognitive theory of self-regulation," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 50(2), pages 248-287, December.
    11. Brown, Michael E. & Trevino, Linda K. & Harrison, David A., 2005. "Ethical leadership: A social learning perspective for construct development and testing," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 97(2), pages 117-134, July.
    12. Rune Bysted & Jesper Rosenberg Hansen, 2015. "Comparing Public and Private Sector Employees' Innovative Behaviour: Understanding the role of job and organizational characteristics, job types, and subsectors," Public Management Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 17(5), pages 698-717, May.
    13. Miao, Chao & Humphrey, Ronald H. & Qian, Shanshan, 2018. "A cross-cultural meta-analysis of how leader emotional intelligence influences subordinate task performance and organizational citizenship behavior," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 53(4), pages 463-474.
    14. Jerry Evensky, 2005. "Adam Smith's Theory of Moral Sentiments: On Morals and Why They Matter to a Liberal Society of Free People and Free Markets," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 19(3), pages 109-130, Summer.
    15. Pablo Ruiz-Palomino & Ricardo Martínez-Cañas, 2014. "Ethical Culture, Ethical Intent, and Organizational Citizenship Behavior: The Moderating and Mediating Role of Person–Organization Fit," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 120(1), pages 95-108, March.
    16. Ms. Ratna Sahay & Mr. Martin Cihak & Mr. Papa M N'Diaye & Mr. Adolfo Barajas & Ms. Annette J Kyobe & Ms. Srobona Mitra & Yen N Mooi & Mr. Seyed Reza Yousefi, 2017. "Banking on Women Leaders: A Case for More?," IMF Working Papers 2017/199, International Monetary Fund.
    17. Tanusree Jain & Ruth V. Aguilera & Dima Jamali, 2017. "Corporate Stakeholder Orientation in an Emerging Country Context: A Longitudinal Cross Industry Analysis," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 143(4), pages 701-719, July.
    18. Kamal M.Y & Lukman Z.M & Zulaikha M.Z & Nurunsa’adah S & Bukhari W.M.Y & Nurul I.Y, 2017. "Emotional Intelligence and Leadership Style," International Journal of Asian Social Science, Asian Economic and Social Society, vol. 7(12), pages 963-970.
    19. Afif G. Nassif & Rick D. Hackett & Gordon Wang, 2021. "Ethical, Virtuous, and Charismatic Leadership: An Examination of Differential Relationships with Follower and Leader Outcomes," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 172(3), pages 581-603, September.
    20. Joseph Mpeera Ntayi & Warren Byabashaija & Sarah Eyaa & Muhammed Ngoma & Alex Muliira, 2010. "Social cohesion, groupthink and ethical behavior of public procurement officers," Journal of Public Procurement, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 10(1), pages 68-92, March.
    21. Anne Joosten & Marius Dijke & Alain Hiel & David Cremer, 2014. "Erratum to: Being ‘‘in Control’’ May Make You Lose Control: The Role of Self-Regulation in Unethical Leadership Behavior," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 121(1), pages 147-147, April.
    22. Kamal M.Y. & Lukman Z.M & Zulaikha M.Z & Nurunsa?adah S. & Bukhari W.M.Y. & Nurul I.Y., 2017. "Emotional Intelligence and Leadership Style," International Journal of Asian Social Science, Asian Economic and Social Society, vol. 7(12), pages 963-970, December.
    23. Akanksha Bedi & Can M. Alpaslan & Sandy Green, 2016. "A Meta-analytic Review of Ethical Leadership Outcomes and Moderators," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 139(3), pages 517-536, December.
    24. Anne Joosten & Marius Dijke & Alain Hiel & David Cremer, 2014. "Being “in Control” May Make You Lose Control: The Role of Self-Regulation in Unethical Leadership Behavior," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 121(1), pages 1-14, April.
    25. He, Hongwei & Chao, Melody M. & Zhu, Weichun, 2019. "Cause-related marketing and employee engagement: The roles of admiration, implicit morality beliefs, and moral identity," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 83-92.
    26. Neubert, Mitchell J. & Wu, Cindy & Roberts, James A., 2013. "The Influence of Ethical Leadership and Regulatory Focus on Employee Outcomes," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 23(2), pages 269-296, April.
    27. Zhu, Weichun & Treviño, Linda K. & Zheng, Xiaoming, 2016. "Ethical Leaders and Their Followers: The Transmission of Moral Identity and Moral Attentiveness," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 26(1), pages 95-115, January.
    28. Kalra, Ashish & Briggs, Elten & Schrock, Wyatt, 2023. "Exploring the synergistic role of ethical leadership and sales control systems on salesperson social media use and sales performance," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Zhen Wang & Lu Xing & Haoying Xu & Sean T. Hannah, 2021. "Not All Followers Socially Learn from Ethical Leaders: The Roles of Followers’ Moral Identity and Leader Identification in the Ethical Leadership Process," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 170(3), pages 449-469, May.
    2. Muhammad Arshad & Ghulam Abid & Francoise Venezia Contreras Torres, 2021. "Impact of prosocial motivation on organizational citizenship behavior: the mediating role of ethical leadership and leader–member exchange," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 55(1), pages 133-150, February.
    3. Bruno Lussier & Nathaniel N. Hartmann & Willy Bolander, 2021. "Curbing the Undesirable Effects of Emotional Exhaustion on Ethical Behaviors and Performance: A Salesperson–Manager Dyadic Approach," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 169(4), pages 747-766, April.
    4. Akanksha Bedi & Can M. Alpaslan & Sandy Green, 2016. "A Meta-analytic Review of Ethical Leadership Outcomes and Moderators," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 139(3), pages 517-536, December.
    5. Irene Chu & Mai Chi Vu, 2022. "The Nature of the Self, Self-regulation and Moral Action: Implications from the Confucian Relational Self and Buddhist Non-self," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 180(1), pages 245-262, September.
    6. Muel Kaptein, 2019. "The Moral Entrepreneur: A New Component of Ethical Leadership," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 156(4), pages 1135-1150, June.
    7. John J. Sosik & Jae Uk Chun & Ziya Ete & Fil J. Arenas & Joel A. Scherer, 2019. "Self-control Puts Character into Action: Examining How Leader Character Strengths and Ethical Leadership Relate to Leader Outcomes," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 160(3), pages 765-781, December.
    8. Mayowa T. Babalola & Michelle C. Bligh & Babatunde Ogunfowora & Liang Guo & Omale A. Garba, 2019. "The Mind is Willing, but the Situation Constrains: Why and When Leader Conscientiousness Relates to Ethical Leadership," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 155(1), pages 75-89, March.
    9. Jin Cheng & Haiqing Bai & Xijuan Yang, 2019. "Ethical Leadership and Internal Whistleblowing: A Mediated Moderation Model," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 155(1), pages 115-130, March.
    10. Nathan Eva & Alexander Newman & Qing Miao & Dan Wang & Brian Cooper, 2020. "Antecedents of Duty Orientation and Follower Work Behavior: The Interactive Effects of Perceived Organizational Support and Ethical Leadership," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 161(3), pages 627-639, January.
    11. Junghyun Lee & Se-Hyung Oh & Sanghee Park, 2022. "Effects of Organizational Embeddedness on Unethical Pro-organizational Behavior: Roles of Perceived Status and Ethical Leadership," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 176(1), pages 111-125, February.
    12. Shirel Damti & Guy Hochman, 2022. "Personality Characteristics as Predictors of the Leader’s Ethical Leadership in Regular Times and in Times of Crisis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-17, August.
    13. Q. Miao & A. Newman & J. Yu & L. Xu, 2013. "The Relationship Between Ethical Leadership and Unethical Pro-Organizational Behavior: Linear or Curvilinear Effects?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 116(3), pages 641-653, September.
    14. Matthew J. Quade & Sara J. Perry & Emily M. Hunter, 2019. "Boundary Conditions of Ethical Leadership: Exploring Supervisor-Induced and Job Hindrance Stress as Potential Inhibitors," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 158(4), pages 1165-1184, September.
    15. Palvi Pasricha & Bindu Singh & Pratibha Verma, 2018. "Ethical Leadership, Organic Organizational Cultures and Corporate Social Responsibility: An Empirical Study in Social Enterprises," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 151(4), pages 941-958, September.
    16. Badghish, Saeed & Shaik, Aqueeb Sohail & Sahore, Nidhi & Srivastava, Shalini & Masood, Ayesha, 2024. "Can transactional use of AI-controlled voice assistants for service delivery pickup pace in the near future? A social learning theory (SLT) perspective," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 198(C).
    17. Zhen Wang & Haoying Xu, 2019. "When and for Whom Ethical Leadership is More Effective in Eliciting Work Meaningfulness and Positive Attitudes: The Moderating Roles of Core Self-Evaluation and Perceived Organizational Support," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 156(4), pages 919-940, June.
    18. Xie, Jiangtao & Jain, Tanusree, 2024. "Unpacking micro-CSR through a computational literature review: An identity heterogeneity view of internal stakeholders," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 172(C).
    19. Kubilay Gok & John J. Sumanth & William H. Bommer & Ozgur Demirtas & Aykut Arslan & Jared Eberhard & Ali Ihsan Ozdemir & Ahmet Yigit, 2017. "You May Not Reap What You Sow: How Employees’ Moral Awareness Minimizes Ethical Leadership’s Positive Impact on Workplace Deviance," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 146(2), pages 257-277, December.
    20. Rebekka Skubinn & Lisa Herzog, 2016. "Internalized Moral Identity in Ethical Leadership," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 133(2), pages 249-260, January.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:165:y:2023:i:c:s0148296323004022. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/jbusres .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.