Abstract
Incessant occurrences of character failure of people in leadership positions that have characterized organizations in recent years call for critical examination of leadership behaviors. The Social Learning Theory and Trickle-Down Model are some of the common approaches previously used to analyze ethical leadership behaviors. However, the challenges with how these models inspire ethical behaviors call for further examination of the issue. Using a multidisciplinary integrative literature review, we present Vroom’s Valence–Instrumentality–Expectancy (VIE) Model of Motivation as an alternative model for examining ethical leadership behaviors. The VIE Model provides clarity regarding how leaders are motivated to behave ethically. We utilize ideas from the VIE model in conjunction with Starratt’s Three-Step Approach to develop a unique framework for examining ethical leadership behaviors. Our model highlights the importance of a leader’s values in creating organizational ethical values that eventually translate into professional ethical values. Using the motivational approach to inspire ethical leadership will drive organizational members to internalize ethical behavior as a conviction rather than complying with a set rule.
Highlights
There is a history of leadership character failures in organizations
It is easy to estimate the economic impact of ethical violations in business institutions, there is an intangible cost resulting from leadership character failures
ethical leadership behaviors (ELBs) is important to leadership and human resource development (HRD) scholars and professionals because leadership behaviors have been found to correlate highly with many expected positive outcomes of the activities that organizations are involved
Summary
There is a history of leadership character failures in organizations. Typical examples that have inspired a clarion call to intensify research into ethical leadership behaviors (ELBs) include scandals that shook organizations such as Enron, Exxon, Johnson & Johnson, Peanut Corporation of America, Tyco, WorldCom, Madoff’s Wall Street Investments firms, and Barclays LIBOR, among several others. Johnson (2018) describes how even the best-intentioned leaders can go down the wrong path because of internal or external pressures and often disastrous for them and/or their organizations as a result of character failure. Leaders are motivated to exhibit positive work attitudes and stronger attachment to the organization when they perceive the organizational climate as wholesome and humane Such leaders show virtue by promoting good character and “taking account of the situation and the specific people involved, giving a role to good judgment as opposed to just following the rules” This shows that context can potentially mediate modeling ELBs, and influence ethical decision-making of the imitator of these behaviors Deducing from this perspective, followers are seen as passive observers of leadership behaviors and will emulate them based on their subjective appraisals of these behaviors as ethical. We utilize ideas from the VIE model in conjunction with Starratt’s Three-Step Approach to develop a unique framework for examining ELBs
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