Authentic leadership and follower’s role ethnicality: the role of leader’s ethical voice and ethical culture

Abstract

Purpose

The ethical issues arising at work demand the role of both leader and employees, but how both the levels are linked in determining the ethical responses is an area that has not gained due attention in the past. Against this backdrop, this study aims to address the influence of a leader’s authenticity and ethical voice on ethical culture and the role ethicality of followers.

Design/methodology/approach

Survey design has been used, and a questionnaire is used to elicit the responses. In total, 381 filled questionnaires were used for data analysis.

Findings

The findings of this study highlight the role of authentic leadership in predicting the role ethicality of followers both directly and through the mediation of ethical culture. Furthermore, a leader’s ethical voice strengthens the authentic leadership and outcome relationships (with ethical culture and followers’ role ethicality). The moderated-mediation mechanism has proved as the leaders’ voice foster the indirect mechanism.

Originality/value

There is a dearth of literature that has focused on leadership traits (authenticity) and behavior (ethical voice) in predicting the followers’ outcomes (perceptions – ethical culture and behaviors – role ethicality). The moderated-mediation mechanism has been unattended in the past.

Citation

Faheem, M.A., Ahmed, I., Ain, I. and Iqbal, Z. (2021), "Authentic leadership and follower’s role ethnicality: the role of leader’s ethical voice and ethical culture", International Journal of Ethics and Systems, Vol. 37 No. 3, pp. 422-441. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOES-09-2020-0150