The influence of ethical leadership to deviant workplace behavior mediated by ethical climate and organizational commitment

Purpose The purpose of this study is to analyze and explain the influence of ethical leadership, ethical climate and organizational commitment toward employee deviance in a workplace. Design/methodology/approach This study was conducted in Malang Regency Government by using a sample of 120 respondents and Generalized Structured Component Analysis (GeSCA). Findings From the study, it is found that ethical leadership could influence the formation of ethical climate in an organization which in turn will negatively affect the deviant behavior in the workplace. The results also indicate that the effect of ethical leadership is either direct or indirect toward the deviant behavior in the workplace. The indirect impact of this ethical leadership includes the sharpened perception of ethical climate which eventually will reduce the deviant behavior in the workplace. Originality/value It is interesting that ethical leadership has no significant effect on organizational commitment but on ethical climate and in the end, it will influence the improvement of organizational commitment.