Influence of integrity and moral intelligence on authentic leadership and organisational citizenship behaviour

Date
2017-03
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH SUMMARY : Over the past decade organisations continue to be confronted with negative employee behaviours. Consequently, researchers and managers of organisations have taken an interest in understanding the factors that contribute to the emergence of positive organisational behaviours like Organisational Citizenship Behaviour (OCB). Thus, the positive impact of OCB on employees, leaders and organisations inspired the emergence of this study. This study was thus, conducted to gain insight on the determinants of OCB as well as other factors that contribute to these positive employee behaviours. The aim of this study was to investigate the constructs that play a significant role in the emergence of employee OCB in organisations. These constructs include integrity, moral intelligence and authentic leadership. A theoretical model depicting the manner in which the various constructs relate to each other was developed, and hypotheses were formulated and tested. Data for this study was collected from a sample of military personnel (n = 287). Respondents completed four paper-and-pencil questionnaires, which included the Ethical Integrity Test (EIT), Moral Competency Inventory (MCI), Authentic Leadership Inventory (ALI) and Organisational Citizenship Behaviour Scale (OCBS). The proposed hypotheses and conceptual model were empirically tested using various statistical methods. The methods included item and reliability analysis, which was conducted on all the measurement scales and satisfactory reliability, was confirmed. The content and structure of the measured constructs were investigated by means of Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), and the results indicated that a good fit was achieved for all the refined measurement models. Thereafter, Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was used to determine the extent to which the structural model fitted the data obtained from the sample and to test the hypothesised relationships between the constructs. The results indicated the existence of a significant positive relationship between integrity and moral intelligence, authentic leadership and OCB, as well as moral intelligence and authentic leadership. However, no support was found for a direct positive relationship between Integrity and authentic leadership as well as integrity and OCB. This study contributed to existing literature on OCB, by providing invaluable insight into the relationships between integrity, moral intelligence, authentic leadership and OCB. Moreover, the current study identified managerial implications that may be considered to enhance the development of employee OCB’s in organisations. Furthermore, this study made conclusions based on the research that was conducted and results obtained. Finally, recommendations for future research were suggested.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING : Die afgelope dekade het dit duidelik geword dat organisasies deurlopend gekonfronteer word met negatiewe gedrag van werknemers. Gevolglik het navorsers en diegene in bestuursposisies belangstelling begin toon om die faktore te verstaan wat bydra tot die ontstaan van positiewe organisatoriese gedrag, soos organisatoriese burgerskapgedrag. Die positiewe effek van organisatoriese burgerskapgedrag op werknemers, leiers en organisasies het gevolglik as motivering gedien om hierdie studie te onderneem. Hierdie studie is dus onderneem om insig te verkry oor die determinante van organisatoriese burgerskapgedrag, sowel as ander faktore wat tot die positiewe gedrag van ‘n organisasie se werknemers kan bydra. Die doel van hierdie studie was om ondersoek in te stel aangaande die faktore wat ‘n beduidende rol speel in die ontstaan van organisatoriese burgerskapgedrag in organisasies. Hierdie bepalende faktore sluit onder andere in: integriteit, morele intelligensie en outentieke leierskap. ‘n Teoretiese model is ontwikkel om die verband tussen hierdie bepalende faktore uit te beeld en gevolglik is hipoteses geformuleer en getoets. Data vir hierdie studie is versamel deur middel van ‘n steekproef van millitere personeel (n = 287). Die respondente het vier vraelyste voltooi, naamlik ‘n Etiese Integriteitstoets, ‘n Morele Bevoegdheidsvraelys, ‘n Outentieke Leierskapvraelys en ‘n Organisatoriese Burgerskapgedragskaal. Die hipoteses en die konseptuele model is empiries deur middel van verskeie statistiese metodes getoets. Die metodes sluit in item- en betroubaarheidontledings wat op al die metingskale uitgevoer is en bevredigende betroubaarheid is gevind. Daar is verder ondersoek ingestel na die inhoud en struktuur van die latente veranderlikes deur middel van ‘n Bevestigende Faktorontleding en die resultate dui daarop dat al die metingsmodelle ‘n bevredigende passing met die data toon. Daarna is strukturele vergelykingsmodellering gebruik om te bepaal tot watter mate die strukturele model die data pas, en ook om die gepostuleerde verwantskappe tussen die konstrukte te toets. Die resultate dui op die bestaan van ‘n beduidende, positiewe verwantskap tussen integriteit en morele intelligensie, outentieke leierskap en organisatoriese burgerskapgedrag, sowel as morele intelligensie en outentieke leierskap. Daar is egter geen bewyse gevind dat daar ‘n direkte positiewe verwantskap tussen integriteit en outentieke leierskap, of integriteit en organisatoriese burgerskapgedrag bestaan nie. Hierdie studie dra by tot die bestaande literatuur oor organisatoriese burgerskapgedrag deur belangrike insigte te verskaf aangaande die verwantskappe tussen integriteit, morele intelligensie, outentieke leierskap en organisatoriese burgerskapgedrag. Boonop identifiseer hierdie studie bestuursimplikasies wat oorweeg kan word om organisatoriese burgerskapgedrag by werknemers te ontwikkel. Gevolgtrekkings is gemaak gebaseer op die resultate wat verkry is. Bykomend is daar ook aanbevelings vir toekomstige navorsing gemaak.
Description
Thesis (MCom)-- Stellenbosch University, 2017.
Keywords
Organizational commitment, Integrity, Moral intelligence, Leadership -- Moral and ethical aspects, UCTD
Citation