Role of Ethical Leadership in Improving Employee Outcomes through the Work Environment, Work-Life Quality and ICT Skills: A Setting of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor

Maria Khan, Asif Mahmood () and Muhammad Shoaib
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Maria Khan: Institute of Business & Management, University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
Asif Mahmood: Department of Innovation and Technology Management, College of Graduate Studies, Arabian Gulf University, Manama 293, Bahrain
Muhammad Shoaib: Department of Computer Science, University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore 54000, Pakistan

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 17, 1-18

Abstract: The China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a multi-billion transformative project. It is expected that the CPEC will cause a massive change in every sphere of life in Pakistan, especially in business organizations. The successful accomplishment of such a huge project depends upon the sustainable performance of the organizations associated with the project, and the sustainable performance of the organizations largely depends upon their work environment and quality of work life. As most of the organizations associated with CPEC employ a workforce from both countries, i.e., China and Pakistan, creating a work environment fit in such a cross-cultural setting is quite challenging. In this context, this study investigates the role of ethical leadership, workplace environment, quality of work-life and ICT skills (as a moderator) on job-related outcomes, such as job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and team spirit. The data were collected employing the snowball sampling technique from 609 upper and middle-level employees working in organizations connected with CPEC projects. Obtained results were subsequently analyzed using the structural equation modeling technique with the help of AMOS. The results uncover the positive association between variables as represented in the model, and further revealed that ethical leadership positively enhances the work environment dimensions: relationships, personal growth, and system maintenance and change. Furthermore, these factors are also considered vital in developing the quality of work-life, which eventually raises the employee’s job outcomes. Moreover, the study provides empirical justification for managers that ICT skill development is an important catalytic factor that enhances employee job outcomes. The study is invaluable for managers and policymakers in understanding the enablers of productivity for organizations operating in the context of the megaproject (CPEC).

Keywords: China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC); employees’ job-related outcomes; quality of work life (QWL); ethical leadership (EL) (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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