Ethical Leadership and Academic Staff Behaviour: Ethical Climate's Role and Moral Identity's Limit

Abstract

Ethical behaviour among academic staff is essential for maintaining the integrity and reputation of educational institutions. However, there is limited understanding of the factors that influence such behaviour, especially among academic staff, in the context of Malaysian public universities. This study aims to investigate the effect of ethical leadership on ethical behaviour among academic staff, with a focus on the mediating role of ethical climate and the moderating effect of moral identity. Employing a quantitative research methodology, data were collected from 601 academic staff across five selected Malaysian public universities through a structured questionnaire. The principal results reveal that ethical leadership does not have a significant direct relationship with ethical behaviour. However, ethical climate significantly mediates the relationship between ethical leadership and ethical behaviour. Contrary to expectations, moral identity does not moderate the relationship between ethical leadership and ethical behaviour. These findings emphasize the importance of creating a supportive ethical climate to encourage ethical behaviour among academic staff. The study extends existing literature by providing new insights into the mechanisms underlying employee ethical behaviour and offers practical recommendations for public universities aiming to promote ethical conduct.