Workplace ethics culture and work engagement: The mediating effect of ethical leadership in a developing world context. Issue 4 (31st August 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Mitonga-Monga, Jeremy; Flotman, Aden-Paul; Cilliers, Frans
• Is Part Of: Journal of psychology in Africa. Volume 26:Issue 4(2016)
• Page Start: 326
• Page End: 333
• Publication Date: 2016-08-31
• Subjects: ethical leadership -- workplace ethics culture -- work engagement -- social learning theory -- social exchange theory -- Democratic Republic of the Congo; Psychology -- Africa, Sub-Saharan -- Periodicals; Psychology -- Latin America -- Periodicals; Black people -- Latin America -- Psychology -- Periodicals; Black people -- Africa, Sub-Saharan -- Psychology -- Periodicals; 155.8496
• DOI: 10.1080/14330237.2016.1208928
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1433-0237

Abstract

Abstract : This study examined the mediating effect of ethical leadership on the relationship between workplace ethics culture and work engagement among employees in a railway transport organisation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The sample consisted of permanently employed staff in a railway organisation in the DRC ( n = 839; females = 32%). The employees were required to complete the Ethical Leadership Scale (ELS), the Ethical Corporate Virtue model (ECV) and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES). Mediating regression analyses were conducted to predict work engagement from workplace ethics culture, partialling out ethical leadership. The results show that workplace ethics culture had a significantly positive effect on work engagement. The results further indicated that workplace ethics culture, through the mediation of perceived ethical leadership, had a significantly positive effect on the work engagement dimensions of vigour, dedication and absorption. The findings provide evidence that ethical leadership plays a crucial role in shaping workplace ethics culture and employees' level of work engagement in an emerging country work setting.