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Perceived Ethical Leadership Affects Customer Purchasing Intentions Beyond Ethical Marketing in Advertising Due to Moral Identity Self-Congruence Concerns

Author

Listed:
  • Niels Van Quaquebeke

    (Kühne Logistics University)

  • Jan U. Becker

    (Kühne Logistics University)

  • Niko Goretzki

    (Kühne Logistics University)

  • Christian Barrot

    (Kühne Logistics University)

Abstract

Ethical leadership has so far mainly been featured in the organizational behavior domain and, as such, treated as an intra-organizational phenomenon. The present study seeks to highlight the relevance of ethical leadership for extra-organizational phenomena by combining the organizational behavior perspective on ethical leadership with a classical marketing approach. In particular, we demonstrate that customers may use perceived ethical leadership cues as additional reference points when forming purchasing intentions. In two experimental studies (N = 601 and N = 336), we find that ethical leadership positively affects purchasing intentions because of customers’ concerns for moral self-congruence. We show this by means of both mediation and moderation analyses. Interestingly, the effect of perceived ethical leadership on purchasing intentions holds over and above the ethical advertising claims (e.g., cause-related marketing) that are commonly used in marketing. We conclude by discussing the possible ramifications of ethical leadership beyond its effects on immediate employees.

Suggested Citation

  • 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.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:156:y:2019:i:2:d:10.1007_s10551-017-3577-4
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-017-3577-4
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    Cited by:

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    2. Zhen Wang & Lu Xing & Haoying Xu & Sean T. Hannah, 2021. "Not All Followers Socially Learn from Ethical Leaders: The Roles of Followers’ Moral Identity and Leader Identification in the Ethical Leadership Process," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 170(3), pages 449-469, May.
    3. Shijiao Chen & Jing A. Zhang & Hongzhi Gao & Zhilin Yang & Damien Mather, 2022. "Trust Erosion During Industry-Wide Crises: The Central Role of Consumer Legitimacy Judgement," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 175(1), pages 95-116, January.
    4. Lim, Weng Marc & O'Connor, Peter & Nair, Sumesh & Soleimani, Samaneh & Rasul, Tareq, 2023. "A foundational theory of ethical decision-making: The case of marketing professionals," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    5. Saleh Md Arman & Cecilia Mark-Herbert, 2022. "Ethical Pro-Environmental Self-Identity Practice: The Case of Second-Hand Products," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-18, February.
    6. Craig Crossley & Shannon G. Taylor & Robert C. Liden & David Wo & Ronald F. Piccolo, 2024. "Right From the Start: The Association Between Ethical Leadership, Trust Primacy, and Customer Loyalty," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 193(2), pages 409-426, August.
    7. Nadeem, Waqar & Alimamy, Saifeddin & Ashraf, Abdul Rehman, 2023. "Navigating through difficult times with ethical marketing: Assessing consumers' willingness-to-pay in the sharing economy," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    8. Argiro Kliamenakis & H. Onur Bodur, 2024. "Moral Self-Signaling Benefits of Effortful Cause Marketing Campaigns," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 190(2), pages 371-398, March.
    9. Shuwen Li & Ruiqian Jia & Juergen H. Seufert & Jinlian Luo & Rui Sun, 2023. "You may not reap what you sow: How and when ethical leadership promotes subordinates’ online helping behavior," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 40(4), pages 1683-1702, December.
    10. Alsaad, Abdallah Khalaf, 2021. "Ethical judgment, subjective norms, and ethical consumption: The moderating role of moral certainty," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).
    11. Grappi, Silvia & Bergianti, Francesca & Gabrielli, Veronica & Baghi, Ilaria, 2024. "The effect of message framing on young adult consumers’ sustainable fashion consumption: The role of anticipated emotions and perceived ethicality," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 170(C).

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