Integrity, ethical leadership, trust and work engagement
Abstract
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate how leader integrity and ethical leadership can influence trust in the leader and employee work engagement. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected using an electronic web-based questionnaire completed by 204 employees from various business organisations. Data were analysed by means of item analysis and confirmatory factor analysis conducted via structural equation modelling. Findings High levels of reliability were found for the measurement scales. Good model fit was demonstrated for the measurement and structural models. Empirical support was found for all the postulated relationships in the structural model. Originality/value This study is the first to analyse the joint relationships between leader integrity and work engagement through the mediating role of ethical leadership (i.e. moral management) and trust in the leader. The findings emphasise the key role played by ethical leaders in creating an ethical and trusting work climate conducive for employee engagement.
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Trust strengthens teacher reflective practice indirectly through self-efficacy and work engagement, with a contribution of 0.249.
“the trust variable strengthens the practice of teacher reflection indirectly through the efficiency and work involvement variables. There is a contribution of 0.249”
From Influence of the Principal's Digital Leadership on the Reflective Practices of Vocational Teachers Mediated by Trust, Self Efficacy, and Work Engagement (2020) · cites this paper as Engelbrecht et al., 2017
Engelbrecht et al. (2017) developed how the integrity of leaders and ethical leadership can affect trust in leaders and their job members' involvement.
“Engelbrecht et al. (2017) developed how the integrity of leaders and ethical leadership can affect trust in leaders and their job members' involvement.”
From Influence of the Principal's Digital Leadership on the Reflective Practices of Vocational Teachers Mediated by Trust, Self Efficacy, and Work Engagement (2020) · cites this paper as Engelbrecht et al., 2017
Cites
Colquitt, J. A., Scott, B. A., & LePine, J. A. (2007) · Journal of Applied Psychology · doi:10.1037/0021-9010.92.4.909 · Cited by 2,606 · see citing works
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Khairy, H. A., Baquero, A., & Al-Romeedy, B. S. (2023) · Sustainability · doi:10.3390/su151914337 · Cited by 61 · see citing works
Agustina, R., Kamdi, W., Hadi, S., Muladi, M., & Nurhadi, D. (2020) · International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research · doi:10.26803/ijlter.19.11.2 · Cited by 43 · see citing works
- Authors
- Engelbrecht, A. S., Heine, G., & Mahembe, B.
- Affiliations
- Stellenbosch University (ZA)
- University of the Western Cape (ZA)
- Venue
- Leadership & Organization Development Journal
- Publisher
- Emerald
- Published
- 2017-05-02
- Volume
- 38
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 368-379
- ISSN
- 0143-7739 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2605336214
- Cited by
- 307
- References
- 1
- Citations by year
- 2026: 22 · 2025: 39 · 2024: 41 · 2023: 58 · 2022: 41 · 2021: 37 · 2020: 38 · 2019: 21 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 3
- FWCI
- 34.06
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Leadership & Organization Development Journal (publishedVersion)
- UWC Research Repository (University of the Western Cape) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Job Satisfaction and Organizational Behavior
- Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › Information Systems and Management › Ethics in Business and Education
- Social Sciences › Demography › Workplace Spirituality and Leadership
- Keywords
- leadership integrity, ethical leadership, trust in leadership, work engagement, moral management, employee engagement, organizational climate
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