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Silence Speaks Volumes: The role of workplace ostracism and ethical leadership in shaping moral identity at work and ethical voice

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  • Zheng, Yuyan
  • Wu, Chia-Huei
  • Zhang, Long
  • Reich, Tara C.
  • Chang, Chiachi

Abstract

Drawing upon an integrated perspective based on working self-concept theory, we propose that being ostracized in the workplace undermines employees’ moral identity at work and thus their engagement in ethical voice behaviors. We also propose that ethical leadership can mitigate the detrimental effects of workplace ostracism. In Study 1 (N = 291), time-lagged data revealed a mediation effect of moral identity at work, even controlling for ego depletion and moral emotions. In Study 2, results from an employee sample in China (N = 144) reveal that workplace ostracism is more detrimental to employees’ moral identity at work when ethical leadership is lower compared to higher. In Studies 3 and 4, we provide additional evidence to support our model using an experiment in which we manipulate workplace ostracism and ethical leadership (N = 283) as well as multi-sourced, time-lagged field data (N = 125), respectively. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Zheng, Yuyan & Wu, Chia-Huei & Zhang, Long & Reich, Tara C. & Chang, Chiachi, 2025. "Silence Speaks Volumes: The role of workplace ostracism and ethical leadership in shaping moral identity at work and ethical voice," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 193(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:193:y:2025:i:c:s014829632500150x
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2025.115327
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