Examining the relationships between ethical leadership and organisational citizenship behaviours in a transitional country: the mediation of public service motivation

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ABSTRACT The effectiveness of different ethical leadership approaches, rooted in regulatory focus, remains unclear in transitional nations. This study examines the linkages of promotion- versus prevention-focused ethical leadership on employee engagement in organisation- and individual-directed citizenship behaviour. Utilising quantitative methodologies and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling, data from 636 participants within Vietnam’s public-sector organisations were analysed. The study found that only promotion-focused ethical leadership directly related to employees’ engagement in organisation-directed citizenship behaviour. Public Service Motivation (PSM) emerged as a mediating factor, enabling both ethical leadership approaches to indirectly promote participation in organisation- and individual-directed citizenship behaviours. This highlights the critical role of PSM in conveying the positive effects of ethical leadership on various forms of organisational citizenship behaviours in public organisations. These findings are relevant to researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and those interested in PSM research.