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The Impact of Authoritarian Leadership on Ethical Voice: A Moderated Mediation Model of Felt Uncertainty and Leader Benevolence

Author

Listed:
  • Yuyan Zheng

    (Sheffield University)

  • Les Graham

    (Durham University)

  • Jiing-Lih Farh

    (China Europe International Business School (CEIBS))

  • Xu Huang

    (Hong Kong Baptist University)

Abstract

In a sample of 522 police officers and staff in an English police force, we investigated the role of authoritarian leadership in reducing the levels of employee ethical voice (i.e., employees discussing and speaking out opinions against unethical issues in the workplace). Drawing upon uncertainty management theory, we found that authoritarian leadership was negatively related to employee ethical voice through increased levels of felt uncertainty, when the effects of a motivational-based mechanism suggested by previous studies were controlled. In addition, we found that the negative relationship between authoritarian leadership and employee ethical voice via felt uncertainty is mitigated by higher levels of benevolent leadership. That is, when authoritarian leaders simultaneously exhibit benevolence, they are less likely to cause feelings of uncertainty in their followers who are then more likely to speak up about unethical issues. We discuss theoretical and practical implications of the findings.

Suggested Citation

  • Yuyan Zheng & Les Graham & Jiing-Lih Farh & Xu Huang, 2021. "The Impact of Authoritarian Leadership on Ethical Voice: A Moderated Mediation Model of Felt Uncertainty and Leader Benevolence," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 170(1), pages 133-146, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:170:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1007_s10551-019-04261-1
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-019-04261-1
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Wei Si & Jialing Xiao & Leni Chen, 2023. "Fairly Meaningful: Mechanisms Linking Organizational Fairness to Perceived Meaningfulness," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 187(1), pages 53-72, September.
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    3. Hazem Ahmed Khairy & Sijun Liu & Samar Sheikhelsouk & Ahmed M. EI-Sherbeeny & Omar Alsetoohy & Bassam Samir Al-Romeedy, 2023. "The Effect of Benevolent Leadership on Job Engagement through Psychological Safety and Workplace Friendship Prevalence in the Tourism and Hospitality Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-22, September.
    4. Sarah Brooks & John Richmond & John Blenkinsopp, 2023. "Applying a Lens of Temporality to Better Understand Voice About Unethical Behaviour," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 188(4), pages 681-692, December.
    5. Leni Chen & Xu Huang & Jian-min Sun & Yuyan Zheng & Les Graham & Judy Jiang, 2024. "The virtue of a controlling leadership style: Authoritarian leadership, work stressors, and leader power distance orientation," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 41(2), pages 507-547, June.
    6. Zhongju Liao & Jialin Cheng & Qian Chen, 2022. "Socially responsible human resource management and employee ethical voice: Roles of employee ethical self‐efficacy and organizational identification," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(4), pages 820-829, July.
    7. Meng Qi & Fei Liu, 2024. "Promotive and prohibitive ethical voice in groups: the effect of faultlines and role ambiguity," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-10, December.

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