Ethical Leadership and Ethical Voice: The Mediating Mechanisms of Value Internalization and Integrity Identity

Abstract

Drawing upon self-concept and social-information processing perspectives, we theorize and test a model linking ethical leadership with ethical voice via ethical value internalization and integrity identity. In two field studies (N = 972 and N = 765, respectively) of police officers and staff in the United Kingdom and an online three-wave study (N = 448), we investigate the mediating role of ethical value internalization and integrity identity in the relationship between ethical leadership and ethical voice. Study 1 uses time-lagged data and demonstrates ethical leadership to be positively related to followers’ ethical value internalization, which in turn enhances their integrity identity and ethical voice. The serial mediation effect of the relationship between ethical leadership and ethical voice via employees’ ethical value internalization and integrity identity is also significant. Further support for our hypotheses is provided using multisource data (Study 2) and a three-wave cross-lagged design (Study 3). Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.