Exploring the Process of Ethical Leadership: The Mediating Role of Employee Voice and Psychological Ownership

James B. Avey, Tara S. Wernsing, Michael E. Palanski

Journal of Business Ethics · 2012 · Volume 107 · Issue 1

Abstract

The study of ethical leadership has emerged as an important topic for understanding the effects of leadership in organizations. In a study with 845 working adults across multiple organizations, the relationships between ethical leadership with positive employee outcomes were examined. Results suggest that ethical leadership is related to both psychological well-being and job satisfaction in employees, but the processes are different. Employee voice mediated the relationship between ethical leadership and psychological well-being. Feelings of psychological ownership mediated the relationship between ethical leadership and job satisfaction. A discussion of theoretical and practical implications concludes the article.

Keywords

Ethical leadership, Employee voice, Psychological ownership

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