The Influence of Ethical Leadership on Organizational Citizenship Behavior: The Mediating Role of Psychological Empowerment

Faisal Firman () and Mursalim Nohong
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Faisal Firman: Hasanuddin University
Mursalim Nohong: Hasanuddin University

A chapter in Proceedings of the 10th International Conference on Accounting, Management, and Economics (10th ICAME 2025), 2026, pp 1567-1574 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract This study explores the relationship between ethical leadership and Organizational Citizenship Behavior (OCB), focusing particularly on the mediating role of psychological empowerment. Ethical leadership, which emphasizes fairness, integrity, and concern for employees, is increasingly recognized as a critical driver of positive workplace behaviors. Drawing upon social learning theory, this research argues that leaders who act ethically serve as role models, shaping employees’ attitudes and encouraging prosocial actions. In addition, psychological empowerment theory suggests that when employees feel a sense of meaning, competence, self-determination, and impact, they are more likely to engage in behaviors that go beyond formal job requirements. To examine these propositions, data were gathered from 310 employees working in the Indonesian public sector, a context where leadership credibility and employee engagement are crucial for organizational effectiveness. Structural Equation Modeling using Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS) was employed to test the hypothesized relationships. The findings demonstrate that ethical leadership exerts a significant positive effect on OCB both directly and indirectly, with psychological empowerment serving as a meaningful mediator. These results highlight the need for organizations to promote ethical leadership practices while simultaneously fostering empowerment among employees to create a supportive environment that encourages voluntary, citizenship-oriented behaviors essential for long-term organizational success terms.

Keywords: Ethical leadership; organizational citizenship behavior; psychological empowerment; SEM-PLS; Public sector (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:advbcp:978-94-6239-709-5_109

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DOI: 10.2991/978-94-6239-709-5_109

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