EFFECT OF CHARACTER AND TECHNICAL DIMENSIONS OF ETHICAL LEADERSHIP ON EMPLOYEE COMMITMENT IN THE TRANSPORT SECTOR PARASTATALS IN KENYA

Authors

  • Chrisantus Namada Ouma United States International University - Africa
  • Professor George O. K’Aol United States International University - Africa
  • Professor Damary Sikalieh United States International University - Africa

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47941/hrlj.223
Abstract views: 519
PDF downloads: 241

Keywords:

Employee commitment, character dimension, technical dimension, ethical leadership, Influence

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of the character and technical dimensions of ethical leadership on employee commitment among senior managers in the transport sector parastatals in Kenya.

Methodology: The study adopted a descriptive correlational research design. The target population consisted of 253 senior managers in the transport sector parastatals. A sample of 153 senior managers was selected from the target population using the stratified random sampling technique. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from senior managers. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics.

Results: Correlation analysis revealed a positive and significant relationship between the character dimension and employee commitment, r (111) = .72, p < .05, and also between the technical dimension and employee commitment, r(111) = .56, p < .05, Analysis of variance showed that employee commitment was significantly affected by the character dimension, F(1, 111) = 197.56, p < .05 as well as the technical dimension, F(1, 111) = 55.23, p < .05. Results of multiple linear regression indicated that 64% of the variance in employee commitment were caused by the character dimension, R2 = .64, F(1,111) = 197.56, p < .05; β = .78, p < .05 while 33% of the variance in employee commitment were caused by the technical dimension, R2 = .33, F(1,111) = 55.23, p < .05; β = .65,  p < .05.

Ethical climate was found to significantly moderate the relationship between the character and technical dimensions of ethical leadership and employee commitment, R2 = .67, F(7,105) = 30.56, p < .05; β = .24, p < .05.

Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: Previous studies on ethical leadership have focused on the ethical characteristics of the leader and behavioral traits in the Western settings. This study has provided an in-depth examination of ethical leadership and its effect on employee commitment in the African context. In addition, the application of ethical climate as a moderating variable in this study presented the opportunity to further test its moderating effect on the relationship between the character and technical dimensions of ethical leadership and employee commitment in public organizational settings.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

Chrisantus Namada Ouma, United States International University - Africa

Post Graduate Student

Professor George O. K’Aol, United States International University - Africa

Senior Lecturer

Professor Damary Sikalieh, United States International University - Africa

Senior Lecturer

References

Akuoko, K. O., Dwumah, P., & Ansong, F. (2012). Employee Involvement in Decision Making and Workers’ Performance in Selected Organizations in Ashanti Region of Ghana. International Journal of Multidisciplinary Management Studies, 2(6), 11–23.

Alban-Metcalfe, J., & Alban-Metcalfe, B. (2013). Reliability and validity of the leadership competencies and engaging leadership scale. International Journal of Public Sector Management, 26(1), 56–73.

Alparslan, A. M., & Can, A. (2015). The Antecedents of Extra-Role Organizational Behaviors: A Qualitative Research on Soldiers. Journal of Business Research Turk, 7(1), 26–42.

Awan, M. R., & Mahmood, K. (2010). Relationship among leadership style, organizational culture and employee commitment in university libraries. Library Management, 31(4/5), 253–266.

Bedi, A., Alpaslan, C. M., & Green, S. (2016). A Meta-analytic Review of Ethical Leadership Outcomes and Moderators. Journal of Business Ethics, 139(3), 517–536.

Beekun, R. I. (2012). Character Centered Leadership: Muhammad (PBUH) as an Ethical Role Model for CEOs. Journal of Management Development, 31(10), 1003–1020.

Bipp, T., & Kleingeld, A. (2011). Goal-setting in practice: The effects of personality and perceptions of the goal‐setting process on job satisfaction and goal commitment. Personnel Review, 40(3), 306–323

Blakcori, F. (2014). The Role of Formal Routines in Organizational Innovation. International Journal of Business and Social Research, 3(February), 56–70. Retrieved from http://thejournalofbusiness.org/index.php/site/article/view/363

Borhani, F. (2014). Nurses ’ perception of ethical climate and organizational commitment. Nursing Ethics, 21(3), 278–288.

Busienei, J. R., K’Obonyo, P., & Ogutu, M. (2015). Effect of contingency perspective of human resource strategic orientation on performance of large private manufacturing firms in Kenya. Retrieved from https://profiles.uonbi.ac.ke/jbusienei/files/article_for_ aibuma_-_2_universalistic-new.pdf %0D

Cemberci, M. E., & Civelek, M. (2016). The Mediator Effect of Ethical Climate on the Relation between Ethical Leadership and Organizational Commitment. Research Journal of Politics, Economics and Management, 4(1), 147–160.

Chan, S. C. H., & Mak, W. M. (2014). Transformational leadership, pride in being a follower of the leader and organizational commitment. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 35(8), 674–690.

Dinc, M. S., & Aydemir, M. (2014). The Effects of Ethical Climate and Ethical Leadership on Employee Attitudes: Bosnian Case. International Journal of Management Sciences, 2(9), 391–405.

Downe, J., Cowell, R., & Morgan, K. (2016). What Determines Ethical Behavior in Public Organizations: Is It Rules and/or Leadership? Public Administration Review, 76(6), 898–909

Ehrich, L. C., Harris, J., Klenowski, V., Smeed, J., & Spina, N. (2015). The centrality of ethical leadership. Journal of Educational Administration, 53(2), 197–214.

Ekobena, D. N. (2016). Leadership From The Inside Out: The Character of Leadership. College Park, GA: World Changers Publications.

Executive Office of The President (of Kenya). (2013). Report of The Presidential Taskforce on Parastatal Reforms.

Farndale, E., Van Ruiten, J., Kelliher, C., & Hope-Hailey, V. (2011). Influence of Perceived Employee Voice on Organizational Commitment. Human Resource Management, 50(1), 113–129.

González, T. F., & Guillén, M. (2002). Leadership ethical dimension: a requirement in TQM implementation. The TQM Magazine, 14(3), 150–164.

Hawass, H. H. (2016). Ethical leadership and job insecurity: Exploring interrelationships in the Egyptian public sector. International Journal of Commerce and Management, 25(4), 557–581.

Irawanto, D. W. (2015). Employee participation in decision-making : Evidence from a State-owned Enterprise in Indonesia. Management, 20(165), 159–172.

Johnson, C. D. (2012). Meeting the ethical challenges of leadership: Casting light or shadow. Organisation Management Journal (4th ed., Vol. 9). Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications.

Kim, H. (2014). Transformational Leadership, Organizational Clan Culture, Organizational Affective Commitment, and Organizational Citizenship Behavior: A Case of South Korea’s Public Sector. Public Organization Review, 14(3), 397–417.

Kumar, S. P., & Saha, S. (2017). Influence of Trust and Participation in Decision Making on Employee Attitudes in Indian Public Sector Undertakings. SAGE Open, 7(3), 79–101.

Liu, Y., & Qu, H. (2011). The Relationships among Work Support, Organizational Commitment, and Organizational Citizenship Behavior of Part-time Employees in the Restaurant Industry.

Loi, R., Lam, L. W., Ngo, H. Y., & Cheong, S. (2015). Exchange mechanisms between ethical leadership and affective commitment. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 30(6), 645–658.

Ma’amor, H., Ann, H. J., Munir, R. I. S., & Hashim, N. (2012). The Relationship between Ethical Climates and Organizational Commitment in Manufacturing Companies. International Proceedings of Economics Development and Research, 56(27), 134–138.

Mayer, D., Kuenzi, M., & Greenbaum, R. (2010). Examining the Link Between Ethical Leadership and Employee Misconduct: The Mediating Role of Ethical Climate. Journal of Business Ethics, 95, 7–16.

Medlin, B., & Green Jr., K. W. (2009). Enhancing performance through goal setting, engagement, and optimism. Industrial Management & Data Systems, 109(7), 943–956.

Minja, D. (2011). Ethical leadership practice: The foundation of political and economic development in Kenya. In Browsing Ethics Conference 2011 (p. 14).

Moore, H. L., & Moore, T. W. (2014). The effect of ethical climate on the organizational commitment of faculty members. Journal of Academic and Business Ethics, 9, 1–15.

Neubert, M. J., Wu, C., & Roberts, J. A. (2013). The influence of ethical leadership and regulatory focus on employee outcomes. Business Ethics Quarterly, 23(2), 269–296.

Olesia, W. S., Namusonge, G. S., & Iravo, M. E. (2013a). Influence of Visioning on Organizational Commitment in Kenyan State Corporations. IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science, 20(5), 8–15.

Olesia, W. S., Namusonge, G. S., & Iravo, M. E. (2013b). Role of Servant Leadership on Organizational Commitment : An Exploratory Survey of State Corporations in Kenya. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 3(13), 85–94.

Pollock, J. M. (2017). Ethical Dilemmas and Decisions in Criminal Justice (9th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.

Rahman, A., Shahzad, N., Mustafa, K., Khan, M. F., & Qurashi, F. (2016). Effects of Organizational Justice on Organizational Commitment. International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, 6(S3), 188–196.

Rainaye, R. A. (2012). An Empirical Investigation of the Influence of Organizational Policies and Organisational Leadership on Organisational Commitment. International Journal of Business and Management Invention, 1(1), 65–68.

Riaz, T., Akram, M. U., & Ijaz, H. (2011). Impact of Transformational Leadership Style on Affective Employees’ Commitment: An Empirical Study of Banking Sector in Islamabad, Pakistan. The Journal of Commerce, 3(1), 43.

Ritz, A., Giauque, D., Varone, F., & Anderfuhren-Biget, S. (2014). From Leadership to Citizenship Behavior in Public Organizations: When Values Matter. Review of Public Personnel Administration, 34(2), 128–152.

Sagwa, E. V., K’Obonyo, P., & Ogutu, M. (2015). The effect of human resource management practices on employee outcomes : a study of firms listed on the nairobi securities exchange. Journal of Emerging Trends in Economics and Management Sciences, 6(4), 237–244.

Sarros, J. C., & Cooper, B. K. (2006). Building character: a leadership essential. Journal of Business and Psychology, 21(1), 1–22.

Shaed, M. M., Ishak, S., & Ramli, Z. (2015). Employees’ Participation in Decision Making (PDM): A literature survey. Malaysian Journal of Society and Space, 11(13), 142–155.

Simha, A., & Cullen, J. B. (2012). Ethical Climates and Their Effects on Organizational Outcomes: Implications From the Past and Prophecies for the Future. Academy of Management Perspectives, 26(4), 20–34. http://doi.org/10.5465/amp.2011.0156

Spears, L. C. (2010). Character and Servant Leadership: Ten Characteristics of Effective, Caring Leaders. The Journal of Virtues & Leadership, 1(1), 25–30.

Tan, J. X., Zawawi, D., & Aziz, Y. A. (2016). Benevolent leadership and its organisational outcomes: A social exchange theory perspective. International Journal of Economics and Management, 10(2), 343–364.

Thamrin, H. M. (2012). The Influence of Transformational Leadership andOrganizational Commitment on Job Satisfaction andEmployee Performance. International Journal of Innovation, Management and Technology, 3(5).

Treviño, L. K., & Brown, M. E. (2005). The role of leaders in influencing unethical behavior in the workplace. In R. Kidwell & C. Martin (Eds.), Managing Organizational Deviance (pp. 69–96). London, UK: Sage Publishing.

Treviño, L. K., Hartman, L. P., & Brown, M. E. (2000). What Determines Ethical Behavior in Public Organizations: Is It Rules and/or Leadership? California Management Review, 42(4), 128–143.

Victor, B., & Cullen, J. B. (1988). The Organizational Bases of Ethical Work Climates. Administrative Science Quarterly, 33(1), 101–125.

Wainaina, L., Iravo, M. E., & Waititu, A. (2014). Effect of participation in decision making on the organizational commitment amongst academic staff in the private and public universities in Kenya. International Journal of Advanced Research in Management and Social Sciences, 3(12), 131–142.

Weichbrodt, J. C., & Grote, G. (2010). Rules and Routines in Organizations: A Review and Integration. In Fourth International Conference on Organizational Routines, June 11-12, Nice, France (p. 36).

Wiltshire, E. D. (2012). Transformational Leadership: What’s Your Motivation? Leadership Advance Online, (XXII), 1–7.

Yang, C., Ding, C. G., & Lo, K. W. (2016). Ethical leadership and multidimensional organizational citizenship behaviors: The mediating effects of self-efficacy, respect, and leader-member exchange. Group & Organization Management, 41(3), 343–374.

Yates, L. (2011). Exploring the relationship of ethical leadership with job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and organizational citizenship behavior. The Journal of Values-Based Leadership, 7(1), 1–14.

Downloads

Published

2018-03-14

Issue

Section

Articles