The mediating role of trust in leader in the relations of ethical leadership and distributive justice on internal whistleblowing: a study on Turkish banking sector

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explain the effect of perceived ethical leadership and perceived distributive justice on internal whistleblowing intention through trust in leader as a mediator. Design/methodology/approach: Following an empirical design, data were collected from 1,296 employees of Turkish financial institutions, located in Istanbul. To test four hypotheses structural equation modelling was applied. Findings: Results reveal that trust in a leader fully mediates the positive effects of both ethical leadership and distributive justice on the internal whistleblowing intention. Originality/value: This study enhances the understanding of the ethical leadership perception and distributive justice affecting the internal whistleblowing intention in Turkey that is a developing country. Although numerous studies on whistleblowing have been conducted, this study’s originality and contribution lay in the examination of trust in the leader as a missing link between the direct relations.