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Are Authentic Leaders Always Moral? The Role of Machiavellianism in the Relationship Between Authentic Leadership and Morality

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  • Sen Sendjaya
  • Andre Pekerti
  • Charmine Härtel
  • Giles Hirst
  • Ivan Butarbutar

Abstract

Drawing on cognitive moral development and moral identity theories, this study empirically examines the moral antecedents and consequences of authentic leadership. Machiavellianism, an individual difference variable relating to the use of the ‘end justifies the means’ principle, is predicted to affect the link between morality and leadership. Analyses of multi-source, multi-method data comprised case studies, simulations, role-playing exercises, and survey questionnaires were completed by 70 managers in a large public agency, and provide support for our hypotheses. Our findings reveal that Machiavellianism offsets the positive relationship between moral reasoning and authentic leadership. Specifically, we show that when Machiavellianism is high, both the positive relationship between moral reasoning and authentic leadership, and the positive relationship between authentic leadership and moral actions, are reversed. This study offers new insights on the underlying processes contributing to the emergence of leaders’ authentic behavior and moral action. Implications for the moral development of leaders, and directions for improved leadership training are provided. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2016

Suggested Citation

  • Sen Sendjaya & Andre Pekerti & Charmine Härtel & Giles Hirst & Ivan Butarbutar, 2016. "Are Authentic Leaders Always Moral? The Role of Machiavellianism in the Relationship Between Authentic Leadership and Morality," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 133(1), pages 125-139, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:133:y:2016:i:1:p:125-139
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-014-2351-0
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Gicu-Valentin Dogaru, 2020. "Authentic Leadership, Requirement for Trade Unions in Education," Book chapters-LUMEN Proceedings, in: Marcin Waldemar STANIEWSKI & Valentina VASILE & Adriana Grigorescu (ed.), International Conference Innovative Business Management & Global Entrepreneurship (IBMAGE 2020), edition 1, volume 14, chapter 7, pages 82-96, Editura Lumen.
    2. Fulford, Mark D. & Coleman, Robert A., 2021. "Maximizing the value of values-based leadership (VBL): A reconceptualization for leaders and organizations," Journal of Applied Leadership and Management, Hochschule Kempten - University of Applied Sciences, Professional School of Business & Technology, vol. 9, pages 61-72.
    3. Gwarlann Kerviler & Nico Heuvinck & Elodie Gentina, 2022. "“Make an Effort and Show Me the Love!” Effects of Indexical and Iconic Authenticity on Perceived Brand Ethicality," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 179(1), pages 89-110, August.
    4. Vadvilavičius Tadas & Stelmokienė Aurelija, 2019. "The Consequences of “Dark” Leadership: Perspective of Generation Z," Management of Organizations: Systematic Research, Sciendo, vol. 82(1), pages 97-110, December.
    5. Pedro Herrero García & Miguel Ángel Carbonero & Luis Jorge Martín Antón, 2020. "The Moral Competence of Spanish Councilors," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(13), pages 1-19, July.
    6. Goran Calic & Rene Arseneault & Maryam Ghasemaghaei, 2023. "The Dark Side of Machiavellian Rhetoric: Signaling in Reward-Based Crowdfunding Performance," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 182(3), pages 875-896, January.
    7. Orfa Posada-Arias & Jesenia Avendaño-Ramírez & Jose Arias-Pérez, 2018. "Intellectual Capital Management and University Research Group Performance: Mediating Effects of Machiavellianism and Organisational Narcissism," Journal of Information & Knowledge Management (JIKM), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 17(04), pages 1-23, December.
    8. I-Chieh Hsu & Yi-Ju Shih & Fan-Yun Pai, 2020. "Applying the Modified Delphi Method and DANP to Determine the Critical Selection Criteria for Local Middle and Top Management in Multinational Enterprises," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 8(9), pages 1-21, August.
    9. Tessa Recendes & Federico Aime & Aaron D. Hill & Oleg V. Petrenko, 2022. "Bargaining your way to success: The effect of Machiavellian chief executive officers on firm costs," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(10), pages 2012-2041, October.
    10. Joseph A Crawford & Sarah Dawkins & Angela Martin & Gemma Lewis, 2020. "Putting the leader back into authentic leadership: Reconceptualising and rethinking leaders," Australian Journal of Management, Australian School of Business, vol. 45(1), pages 114-133, February.
    11. Tomasz Gigol, 2020. "Influence of Authentic Leadership on Unethical Pro-Organizational Behavior: The Intermediate Role of Work Engagement," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-14, February.
    12. Seyyed Babak Alavi, 2024. "The Making of an Authentic Leader’s Internalized Moral Perspective: The Role of Internalized Ethical Philosophies in the Development of Authentic Leaders’ Moral Identity," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 190(1), pages 77-92, February.
    13. Michelle Xue Zheng & Yingjie Yuan & Marius Dijke & David Cremer & Alain Van Hiel, 2020. "The Interactive Effect of a Leader’s Sense of Uniqueness and Sense of Belongingness on Followers’ Perceptions of Leader Authenticity," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 164(3), pages 515-533, July.
    14. Daniel N. Jones & Steven M. Mueller, 2022. "Is Machiavellianism Dead or Dormant? The Perils of Researching a Secretive Construct," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 176(3), pages 535-549, March.
    15. Marian Iszatt-White & Andrea Whittle & Gyuzel Gadelshina & Frank Mueller, 2019. "The ‘Corbyn Phenomenon’: Media Representations of Authentic Leadership and the Discourse of Ethics Versus Effectiveness," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 159(2), pages 535-549, October.
    16. Yuanmei Elly Qu & Marie T. Dasborough & Mi Zhou & Gergana Todorova, 2019. "Should Authentic Leaders Value Power? A Study of Leaders’ Values and Perceived Value Congruence," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 156(4), pages 1027-1044, June.

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