IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v14y2022i9p5125-d801050.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Ethical Leadership and Innovative Behavior: Mediating Role of Voice Behavior and Moderated Mediation Role of Psychological Safety

Author

Listed:
  • Xiu Jin

    (Department of Business Administration, Honam University, Gwangju 62399, Korea)

  • Chenglin Qing

    (Department of Business Administration, Honam University, Gwangju 62399, Korea)

  • Shanyue Jin

    (College of Business, Gachon University, Seongnam 13120, Korea)

Abstract

Organizations increasingly emphasize and require their members to engage in innovative behavior because it is directly associated with organizational sustainability and survival. This study aims to address whether ethical leadership enhances subordinates’ innovative behavior and investigates the mediating role of voice behavior in promoting innovative behavior. Psychological safety was tested to moderate the mediating effect of voice behavior on the relationship between ethical leadership and innovative behavior. We collected data from 296 full-time employees from small and medium-sized enterprises in China. The results suggest that ethical leadership positively influences innovative behavior through the mediating role of voice behavior. Furthermore, psychological leadership significantly moderates the mediating effect of voice behavior on the relationship between ethical leadership and innovative behavior. This study expands the scope of research on improving innovative behavior and provides a theoretical basis for related research.

Suggested Citation

  • Xiu Jin & Chenglin Qing & Shanyue Jin, 2022. "Ethical Leadership and Innovative Behavior: Mediating Role of Voice Behavior and Moderated Mediation Role of Psychological Safety," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-24, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:9:p:5125-:d:801050
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/9/5125/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/9/5125/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Kremer, Hannah & Villamor, Isabel & Aguinis, Herman, 2019. "Innovation leadership: Best-practice recommendations for promoting employee creativity, voice, and knowledge sharing," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 62(1), pages 65-74.
    2. James Avey & Tara Wernsing & Michael Palanski, 2012. "Exploring the Process of Ethical Leadership: The Mediating Role of Employee Voice and Psychological Ownership," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 107(1), pages 21-34, April.
    3. 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.
    4. Williams, Larry J. & Brown, Barbara K., 1994. "Method Variance in Organizational Behavior and Human Resources Research: Effects on Correlations, Path Coefficients, and Hypothesis Testing," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 57(2), pages 185-209, February.
    5. Ali Saleh Alshebami, 2021. "The Influence of Psychological Capital on Employees’ Innovative Behavior: Mediating Role of Employees’ Innovative Intention and Employees’ Job Satisfaction," SAGE Open, , vol. 11(3), pages 21582440211, August.
    6. Taylor, Shannon G. & Pattie, Marshall W., 2014. "When Does Ethical Leadership Affect Workplace Incivility? The Moderating Role of Follower Personality," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 24(4), pages 595-616, October.
    7. Yi Tu & Xin Lu, 2013. "Erratum to: How Ethical Leadership Influence Employees’ Innovative Work Behavior: A Perspective of Intrinsic Motivation," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 116(2), pages 457-457, August.
    8. Jean Pierre Seclen-Luna & Pablo Moya-Fernández & Ángeles Pereira, 2021. "Exploring the Effects of Innovation Strategies and Size on Manufacturing Firms’ Productivity and Environmental Impact," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-18, March.
    9. 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.
    10. Wang Ro Lee & Suk Bong Choi & Seung-Wan Kang, 2021. "How Leaders’ Positive Feedback Influences Employees’ Innovative Behavior: The Mediating Role of Voice Behavior and Job Autonomy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-13, February.
    11. Davidson, Tina & Van Dyne, Linn & Lin, Bilian, 2017. "Too attached to speak up? It depends: How supervisor–subordinate guanxi and perceived job control influence upward constructive voice," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 143(C), pages 39-53.
    12. Suk Bong Choi & S.M. Ebrahim Ullah & Seung-Wan Kang, 2021. "Proactive Personality and Creative Performance: Mediating Roles of Creative Self-Efficacy and Moderated Mediation Role of Psychological Safety," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-14, November.
    13. Pieter Vandekerkhof & Tensie Steijvers & Walter Hendriks & Wim Voordeckers, 2018. "Socio†Emotional Wealth Separation and Decision†Making Quality in Family Firm TMTs: The Moderating Role of Psychological Safety," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 55(4), pages 648-676, June.
    14. Ozlem Uzunsaf Yamak & Serife Zihni Eyupoglu, 2021. "Authentic Leadership and Service Innovative Behavior: Mediating Role of Proactive Personality," SAGE Open, , vol. 11(1), pages 21582440219, January.
    15. Dhar, Rajib Lochan, 2016. "Ethical leadership and its impact on service innovative behavior: The role of LMX and job autonomy," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 139-148.
    16. Chenghao Men & Patrick S. W. Fong & Weiwei Huo & Jing Zhong & Ruiqian Jia & Jinlian Luo, 2020. "Ethical Leadership and Knowledge Hiding: A Moderated Mediation Model of Psychological Safety and Mastery Climate," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 166(3), pages 461-472, October.
    17. Shenjiang Mo & Junqi Shi, 2017. "Linking Ethical Leadership to Employee Burnout, Workplace Deviance and Performance: Testing the Mediating Roles of Trust in Leader and Surface Acting," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 144(2), pages 293-303, August.
    18. Mayer, David M. & Kuenzi, Maribeth & Greenbaum, Rebecca & Bardes, Mary & Salvador, Rommel (Bombie), 2009. "How low does ethical leadership flow? Test of a trickle-down model," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 108(1), pages 1-13, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Xin Liu & Yan Huang & Jaehyoung Kim & Sanggyun Na, 2023. "How Ethical Leadership Cultivates Innovative Work Behaviors in Employees? Psychological Safety, Work Engagement and Openness to Experience," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-22, February.
    2. Muhammad Asif & Muhammad Ali Hussain & Shazia Humayun & Muhammad Awais & Mingxing Li, 2023. "Investigating the Role of Ethical Leadership on Employee Innovativeness through Bottom-Up Job Redesigning: Self-Leadership as a Catalyst," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-12, April.
    3. Chao Gao & Jiying Han, 2022. "Sustainable Development of Mastery Goals and Innovative Behavior: Evidence from Chinese Faculty Members," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-14, July.

    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. 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.
    2. Yidong Tu & Xinxin Lu, 2016. "Do Ethical Leaders Give Followers the Confidence to Go the Extra Mile? The Moderating Role of Intrinsic Motivation," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 135(1), pages 129-144, April.
    3. Yidong Tu & Xinxin Lu & Yue Yu, 2017. "Supervisors’ Ethical Leadership and Employee Job Satisfaction: A Social Cognitive Perspective," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 18(1), pages 229-245, February.
    4. Niels Van Quaquebeke & Jan U. Becker & Niko Goretzki & Christian Barrot, 2019. "Perceived Ethical Leadership Affects Customer Purchasing Intentions Beyond Ethical Marketing in Advertising Due to Moral Identity Self-Congruence Concerns," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 156(2), pages 357-376, May.
    5. Julena M. Bonner & Rebecca L. Greenbaum & David M. Mayer, 2016. "My Boss is Morally Disengaged: The Role of Ethical Leadership in Explaining the Interactive Effect of Supervisor and Employee Moral Disengagement on Employee Behaviors," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 137(4), pages 731-742, September.
    6. 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.
    7. Pedro Neves & Joana Story, 2015. "Ethical Leadership and Reputation: Combined Indirect Effects on Organizational Deviance," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 127(1), pages 165-176, March.
    8. Rebekka Skubinn & Lisa Herzog, 2016. "Internalized Moral Identity in Ethical Leadership," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 133(2), pages 249-260, January.
    9. Miao Qing & Muhammad Asif & Abid Hussain & Arif Jameel, 2020. "Exploring the impact of ethical leadership on job satisfaction and organizational commitment in public sector organizations: the mediating role of psychological empowerment," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 14(6), pages 1405-1432, December.
    10. Fabiola H. Gerpott & Niels Van Quaquebeke & Sofia Schlamp & Sven C. Voelpel, 2019. "An Identity Perspective on Ethical Leadership to Explain Organizational Citizenship Behavior: The Interplay of Follower Moral Identity and Leader Group Prototypicality," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 156(4), pages 1063-1078, June.
    11. Sean R. Martin & Kyle J. Emich & Elizabeth J. McClean & Col. Todd Woodruff, 2022. "Keeping Teams Together: How Ethical Leadership Moderates the Effects of Performance on Team Efficacy and Social Integration," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 176(1), pages 127-139, February.
    12. 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.
    13. Hao Zhou & Xinyi Sheng & Yulin He & Xiaoye Qian, 2020. "Ethical Leadership as the Reliever of Frontline Service Employees’ Emotional Exhaustion: A Moderated Mediation Model," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(3), pages 1-13, February.
    14. Tran Quang Bao Phuc & Khalida Parveen & Duyen Thi Truc Tran & Dao Thi Anh Nguyen, 2021. "The linkage between ethical leadership and lecturer job satisfaction at a private higher education institution in Vietnam," Journal of Social Sciences Advancement, Science Impact Publishers, vol. 2(2), pages 39-50.
    15. Yan Ling & Michelle Hammond & Li-Qun Wei, 2022. "Ethical leadership and ambidexterity in young firms: examining the CEO-TMT Interface," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 18(1), pages 25-48, March.
    16. Shenjiang Mo & Junqi Shi, 2017. "Linking Ethical Leadership to Employee Burnout, Workplace Deviance and Performance: Testing the Mediating Roles of Trust in Leader and Surface Acting," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 144(2), pages 293-303, August.
    17. Shadi Mohammad Altahat & Tarik Atan, 2018. "Role of Healthy Work Environments in Sustainability of Goal Achievement; Ethical Leadership, Intention to Sabotage, and Psychological Capital in Jordanian Universities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-15, October.
    18. Colina Frisch & Markus Huppenbauer, 2014. "New Insights into Ethical Leadership: A Qualitative Investigation of the Experiences of Executive Ethical Leaders," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 123(1), pages 23-43, August.
    19. Xin Liu & Yan Huang & Jaehyoung Kim & Sanggyun Na, 2023. "How Ethical Leadership Cultivates Innovative Work Behaviors in Employees? Psychological Safety, Work Engagement and Openness to Experience," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-22, February.
    20. Muel Kaptein, 2019. "The Moral Entrepreneur: A New Component of Ethical Leadership," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 156(4), pages 1135-1150, June.

    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:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:9:p:5125-:d:801050. 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: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    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.