The Role of Ethical Leadership in the Effect of Locus of Control on Whistleblowing

Abstract

Purpose - The purpose of the study is to evaluate the moderating role of ethical leadership perception in the effect of locus of control on whistleblowing behaviors in organizations in a cause-and-effect relationship.
Design/ methodology/approach- The research data were obtained from a sample of 440 employees in the tourism sector in Turkey and the scales are used in the study. Smart PLS 4 program was used in the data in the study. The analysis was conducted by partial least squares method. Internal consistency reliability, indicator reliability, convergent validity and discriminant validity values were examined as models for measuring the analyses.
Findings - According to the findings of the study, locus of control has a negative and significant effect on whistleblowing. Ethical leadership has a positive and significant effect on whistleblowing. According to the results of the analysis for the moderating role, it was determined that ethical leadership has a moderating role in the effect of locus of control on whistleblowing.
Discussion- This study aims to fill the gap in the literature on this triadic relationship by addressing locus of control, whistleblowing and ethical leadership variables together at the theoretical level. In this respect, it is considered to make a significant contribution to the organizational behavior literature, especially in terms of modeling the moderating effect of ethical leadership. In addition, the study provides current empirical evidence that ethical leadership affects not only individual ethical attitudes but also the construction of organizational ethical atmosphere.