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Just the Right Amount of Ethics Inspires Creativity: A Cross-Level Investigation of Ethical Leadership, Intrinsic Motivation, and Employee Creativity

Author

Listed:
  • Jie Feng

    (Rutgers University)

  • Yucheng Zhang

    (Southwestern University of Finance and Economics)

  • Xinmei Liu

    (Xi’an Jiaotong University)

  • Long Zhang

    (Hunan University)

  • Xiao Han

    (Xi’an Jiaotong University)

Abstract

Based on ideology-infused psychological contract theory and cognitive evaluation theory, this study investigated the curvilinear relationship between ethical leadership and employee creativity. A curvilinear mediation model was proposed to explain the impact of ethical leadership on creativity, using employee intrinsic motivation as the mediator. Applying a two wave sampling design that consist 258 employees and their leaders, we found that employee creativity improved as ethical leadership increased from low to moderate levels. However, the employee creativity improvement was attenuated when ethical leadership increased from moderate to high levels. Furthermore, the study also revealed that employee intrinsic motivation partially mediated this curvilinear relationship. The theoretical and managerial implications are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Jie Feng & Yucheng Zhang & Xinmei Liu & Long Zhang & Xiao Han, 2018. "Just the Right Amount of Ethics Inspires Creativity: A Cross-Level Investigation of Ethical Leadership, Intrinsic Motivation, and Employee Creativity," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 153(3), pages 645-658, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:153:y:2018:i:3:d:10.1007_s10551-016-3297-1
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-016-3297-1
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    4. Muhammad Akmal & Khawaja Khalid Mehmood, 2022. "The Influence Of Person Job Fit On Innovative Work Behavior Through Intrinsic Motivation And Creative Self-Efficacy," Bulletin of Business and Economics (BBE), Research Foundation for Humanity (RFH), vol. 11(2), pages 331-341.
    5. Ahsen Maqsoom & Ifra Zahoor & Hassan Ashraf & Fahim Ullah & Badr T. Alsulami & Alaa Salman & Muwaffaq Alqurashi, 2022. "Nexus between Leader–Member Exchange, Paternalistic Leadership, and Creative Behavior in the Construction Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-20, June.
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    7. Kalra, Ashish & Briggs, Elten & Schrock, Wyatt, 2023. "Exploring the synergistic role of ethical leadership and sales control systems on salesperson social media use and sales performance," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    8. Emmanuel Osafo & Amy Paros & Robert M. Yawson, 2021. "Valence–Instrumentality–Expectancy Model of Motivation as an Alternative Model for Examining Ethical Leadership Behaviors," SAGE Open, , vol. 11(2), pages 21582440211, June.
    9. Muhammad Asif & Miao Qing & Jinsoo Hwang & Hao Shi, 2019. "Ethical Leadership, Affective Commitment, Work Engagement, and Creativity: Testing a Multiple Mediation Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(16), pages 1-16, August.
    10. Christopher Winchester & Kelsey E. Medeiros, 2023. "In Bounds but Out of the Box: A Meta-Analysis Clarifying the Effect of Ethicality on Creativity," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 183(3), pages 713-743, March.
    11. Minerva Martínez Ávila, 2022. "Competitive Advantage and Knowledge Absorptive Capacity: the Mediating Role of Innovative Capability," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 13(1), pages 185-210, March.
    12. Ayesha Rashid khan & Muhammad Hassan, 2022. "Understanding the Role of Ethical Leadership and Workplace Conflicts a Mediation Moderation Model: A Time-Lagged Study," iRASD Journal of Management, International Research Alliance for Sustainable Development (iRASD), vol. 4(2), pages 221-242, june.
    13. Gustavo A. Esguerra, 2022. "Efecto del liderazgo ético sobre la creatividad de los empleados: una revisión del estado de la investigación," Estudios Gerenciales, Universidad Icesi, vol. 38(162), pages 109-119, March.
    14. Hyun-ju Choi, 2021. "Effect of Chief Executive Officer’s Sustainable Leadership Styles on Organization Members’ Psychological Well-Being and Organizational Citizenship Behavior," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(24), pages 1-29, December.
    15. Yucheng Zhang & Long Zhang & Jingtao Zhu & Chih-Hsing Liu & Mengxi Yang & Guangjian Liu, 2023. "Group leader emotional intelligence and group performance: a multilevel perspective," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 22(2), pages 570-592, April.
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    17. Yulin Niu & Han Zhen, 2024. "Influence of Health Promoting Leadership and Leader Humor on Employee Innovation Performance: The Role Positive Emotions," International Journal of Science and Business, IJSAB International, vol. 36(1), pages 131-141.
    18. Yushan Wu & Qinghua Fu & Sher Akbar & Sarminah Samad & Ubaldo Comite & Mirela Bucurean & Alina Badulescu, 2022. "Reducing Healthcare Employees’ Burnout through Ethical Leadership: The Role of Altruism and Motivation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-17, October.
    19. Yucheng Zhang & Long Zhang & Jingtao Zhu & Chih-Hsing Liu & Mengxi Yang & Guangjian Liu, 0. "Group leader emotional intelligence and group performance: a multilevel perspective," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 0, pages 1-23.
    20. Santoshi Sengupta & Swati Sharma & Aishwarya Singh, 2021. "Authentic Leadership Fostering Creativity in Start-ups: Mediating Role of Work Engagement and Employee Task Proactivity," Business Perspectives and Research, , vol. 9(2), pages 235-251, May.
    21. Jue Wang & Hae-Ryong Kim & Byung-Jik Kim, 2021. "From Ethical Leadership to Team Creativity: The Mediating Role of Shared Leadership and the Moderating Effect of Leader–Member Exchange Differentiation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(20), pages 1-19, October.
    22. Moh. Bahzar, 2019. "Effects of Green Transformational and Ethical Leadership on Green Creativity, Eco-Innovation and Energy Efficiency in Higher Education Sector of Indonesia," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 9(6), pages 408-414.

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