Research Article

THE EFFECTS OF ETHICAL LEADERSHIP BEHAVIORS ON ORGANIZATIONAL DEVIANCE AND ORGANIZATIONAL IDENTIFICATION: THE MEDIATING ROLE OF ETHICAL CLIMATE AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY

Volume: 11 Number: 1 June 25, 2026
EN TR

THE EFFECTS OF ETHICAL LEADERSHIP BEHAVIORS ON ORGANIZATIONAL DEVIANCE AND ORGANIZATIONAL IDENTIFICATION: THE MEDIATING ROLE OF ETHICAL CLIMATE AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY

Abstract

Leaders are seen as role models in organizations, and their individual behaviors have effects on organizational deviance and organizational identification. Ethical leadership is not only a managerial approach but also a strategic factor shaping employee attitudes and behaviors within organizations. Identifying the psychological and contextual mechanisms through which ethical leadership reduces organizational deviance and enhances organizational identification is of considerable theoretical and practical importance. The aim of this study is to analyze the effects of ethical leadership behavior on organizational deviance and organizational identification. Furthermore, the mediating roles of ethical climate and psychological safety were also analyzed. To this end, survey methodology and stratified sampling were used. The sample consisted of 331 participants working in companies operating in the organized industrial zones of Kayseri and Malatya. According to the results of the analyses, ethical leadership was found to have a positive relationship with organizational identification and a negative relationship with organizational deviance. Furthermore, ethical climate and psychological safety were found to play a mediating role in the effects of ethical leadership behavior on organizational deviance and organizational identification.

Keywords

Ethical Statement

During the data collection process, participants were informed in detail about the purpose and scope of the research, the principles of voluntariness, and the anonymity and confidentiality of the data, and their written consent was obtained. Participants were informed that they could withdraw from the study at any stage without providing a reason. Data will be stored in encrypted environments in accordance with the Personal Data Protection Law No. 6698 and will be securely destroyed when the legal retention period expires. The study was conducted in accordance with the principles of the Helsinki Declaration.

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Business Administration

Journal Section

Research Article

Publication Date

June 25, 2026

Submission Date

September 29, 2025

Acceptance Date

May 18, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 11 Number: 1

APA
Demirtaş, Ö., & Gökkaya, E. (2026). THE EFFECTS OF ETHICAL LEADERSHIP BEHAVIORS ON ORGANIZATIONAL DEVIANCE AND ORGANIZATIONAL IDENTIFICATION: THE MEDIATING ROLE OF ETHICAL CLIMATE AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY. Journal of Research in Business, 11(1), 257-280. https://doi.org/10.54452/jrb.1792945
AMA
1.Demirtaş Ö, Gökkaya E. THE EFFECTS OF ETHICAL LEADERSHIP BEHAVIORS ON ORGANIZATIONAL DEVIANCE AND ORGANIZATIONAL IDENTIFICATION: THE MEDIATING ROLE OF ETHICAL CLIMATE AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY. JRB. 2026;11(1):257-280. doi:10.54452/jrb.1792945
Chicago
Demirtaş, Özgür, and Emrah Gökkaya. 2026. “THE EFFECTS OF ETHICAL LEADERSHIP BEHAVIORS ON ORGANIZATIONAL DEVIANCE AND ORGANIZATIONAL IDENTIFICATION: THE MEDIATING ROLE OF ETHICAL CLIMATE AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY”. Journal of Research in Business 11 (1): 257-80. https://doi.org/10.54452/jrb.1792945.
EndNote
Demirtaş Ö, Gökkaya E (June 1, 2026) THE EFFECTS OF ETHICAL LEADERSHIP BEHAVIORS ON ORGANIZATIONAL DEVIANCE AND ORGANIZATIONAL IDENTIFICATION: THE MEDIATING ROLE OF ETHICAL CLIMATE AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY. Journal of Research in Business 11 1 257–280.
IEEE
[1]Ö. Demirtaş and E. Gökkaya, “THE EFFECTS OF ETHICAL LEADERSHIP BEHAVIORS ON ORGANIZATIONAL DEVIANCE AND ORGANIZATIONAL IDENTIFICATION: THE MEDIATING ROLE OF ETHICAL CLIMATE AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY”, JRB, vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 257–280, June 2026, doi: 10.54452/jrb.1792945.
ISNAD
Demirtaş, Özgür - Gökkaya, Emrah. “THE EFFECTS OF ETHICAL LEADERSHIP BEHAVIORS ON ORGANIZATIONAL DEVIANCE AND ORGANIZATIONAL IDENTIFICATION: THE MEDIATING ROLE OF ETHICAL CLIMATE AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY”. Journal of Research in Business 11/1 (June 1, 2026): 257-280. https://doi.org/10.54452/jrb.1792945.
JAMA
1.Demirtaş Ö, Gökkaya E. THE EFFECTS OF ETHICAL LEADERSHIP BEHAVIORS ON ORGANIZATIONAL DEVIANCE AND ORGANIZATIONAL IDENTIFICATION: THE MEDIATING ROLE OF ETHICAL CLIMATE AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY. JRB. 2026;11:257–280.
MLA
Demirtaş, Özgür, and Emrah Gökkaya. “THE EFFECTS OF ETHICAL LEADERSHIP BEHAVIORS ON ORGANIZATIONAL DEVIANCE AND ORGANIZATIONAL IDENTIFICATION: THE MEDIATING ROLE OF ETHICAL CLIMATE AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY”. Journal of Research in Business, vol. 11, no. 1, June 2026, pp. 257-80, doi:10.54452/jrb.1792945.
Vancouver
1.Özgür Demirtaş, Emrah Gökkaya. THE EFFECTS OF ETHICAL LEADERSHIP BEHAVIORS ON ORGANIZATIONAL DEVIANCE AND ORGANIZATIONAL IDENTIFICATION: THE MEDIATING ROLE OF ETHICAL CLIMATE AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY. JRB. 2026 Jun. 1;11(1):257-80. doi:10.54452/jrb.1792945