Nova Southeastern University

This survey instrument is for a doctoral dissertation and contains items from four previously published survey instruments. These include: 1.) Ethical Climate Questionnaire, a 26 item scale by Victor & Cullen (1988), 2.) Survey of Perceived Organizational Support, a 21 item scale by Eisenberger, Huntington, Hutchison and Sowa (1986), 3.) Perceived Leader Integrity Scale, a 31 item scale by Craig and Gustafson (1998), and 4.) the Affective Commitment component of the Affective, Normative and Continuance Commitment Questionnaire by Meyer and Allen (1990). See the attached abstract for the purposes and results obtained using this instrument.

ETHICAL LEADERSHIP: INFLUENCES OF ETHICAL CLIMATE,
PERCEIVED ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT, AND PERCEIVED
LEADER INTEGRITY
by
Stephen C. Carlson

Abstract

This study furthers empirical research in the field of ethical leadership by examining the three concepts as independent variables on employee commitment.
The purpose of this study is to enhance understanding of the interactions of leader behaviors and follower responses in light of the climate of the organization and employee perceptions of leader integrity as well as perceptions about organizational support.

Previous research has established that ethical climate of the organization (Victor & Cullen, 1988) has an influence on employee's affective commitment (Meyer & Allen, 1990). Similarly, previous research has established that perceived organizational support (Eisenberger, Huntington, Hutchison & Sowa (1986) also has an influence on an employee's affective commitment (Rhoades, Eisenberger & Armeli, 2001). Positive levels of perceived leader integrity (Craig & Gustafson, 1998) have been associated with transformational leadership behaviors (Parry & Proctor-Thomson, 2002). However, there has been no research to-date to examine that particular concept's influence on effective commitment. As a leadership measure, this study also examines whether perceived leader integrity has any influence on ethical climate of the organization or an employee's perception of organizational support.

As a dissertation proposal, this study calls for additional survey research utilizing a survey instrument addressing all four components of the theoretical model (see Chapter 1). Survey research, hosted at question.pro (http://www.questionpro.com/) incorporates four separate survey instruments, These are; 1.) ethical climate questionnaire (Cullen & Victor, 1988), survey of perceived organizational support (Eisenberger et al., 1986), perceived leader integrity scale (Craig & Gustafson, 1998) as well as the affective commitment survey items from Meyer and Allen (1990) into a single instrument. Survey respondents will have received an invitation from either the principal researcher or a representative of a cooperating company to participate in the study.

Results of the study will aid human resources professionals by providing additional tools to gain insights into the climate of the organization and impact of the leader / manager behaviors at various levels of the organization. Armed with diagnostic assessment information from these tools, human resources professionals may design and deploy interventions to alter behavior patterns and end toxic behaviors before significant damage in sustained by the organization.