EFFECT OF CHARACTER AND TECHNICAL DIMENSIONS OF ETHICAL LEADERSHIP ON EMPLOYEE COMMITMENT IN THE TRANSPORT SECTOR PARASTATALS IN KENYA

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of the character and technical dimensions of ethical leadership on employee commitment among senior managers in the transport sector parastatals in Kenya.Methodology: The study adopted a descriptive correlational research design. The target population consisted of 253 senior managers in the transport sector parastatals. A sample of 153 senior managers was selected from the target population using the stratified random sampling technique. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from senior managers. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics.Results: Correlation analysis revealed a positive and significant relationship between the character dimension and employee commitment, r (111) = .72, p < .05, and also between the technical dimension and employee commitment, r(111) = .56, p < .05, Analysis of variance showed that employee commitment was significantly affected by the character dimension, F(1, 111) = 197.56, p < .05 as well as the technical dimension, F(1, 111) = 55.23, p < .05. Results of multiple linear regression indicated that 64% of the variance in employee commitment were caused by the character dimension, R2 = .64, F(1,111) = 197.56, p < .05; β = .78, p < .05 while 33% of the variance in employee commitment were caused by the technical dimension, R2 = .33, F(1,111) = 55.23, p < .05; β = .65,  p < .05.Ethical climate was found to significantly moderate the relationship between the character and technical dimensions of ethical leadership and employee commitment, R2 = .67, F(7,105) = 30.56, p < .05; β = .24, p < .05.Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: Previous studies on ethical leadership have focused on the ethical characteristics of the leader and behavioral traits in the Western settings. This study has provided an in-depth examination of ethical leadership and its effect on employee commitment in the African context. In addition, the application of ethical climate as a moderating variable in this study presented the opportunity to further test its moderating effect on the relationship between the character and technical dimensions of ethical leadership and employee commitment in public organizational settings.