Effect of Ethical Leadership and Leader-Member Exchange on Voice Behavior – Moderating Impact of Empowerment

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of ethical leadership and leader-member exchange on employee voice behavior and moderating effect of employee empowerment.  Data collected from 718 full time working employees via questionnaires, incorporating ethical leadership, leader-member exchange, employee voice behavior and employee empowerment. Correlation and regression analysis was to examine the relationship, association and effect of the variables on each other. Results indicated a strong, positive and significant association between ethical leadership, leader-member exchange and employee empowerment and employee voice behavior. Further regression results specify that ethical leadership, leader-member exchange and employee empowerment effect employee voice behavior positively and significantly. Results point out that interactive effect of employee empowerment is there in between leader-member exchange and employee voice behavior. Current study provides a new aspect to focus for the organizations that is importance of ethical leadership to enhance employee voice behavior through leader-member exchange and employee empowerment. Organization needs to acknowledge the significance of ethical leadership behavior to training and enhancing ethical behavior of leader in order to maximize employee voice behavior for organization efficiency.

Keywords: Ethical leadership;leader-member exchange; Employee voice behavior; Employee empowerment;

DOI: 10.7176/EJBM/11-9-15

Publication date:March 31^st 2019