A research on the relationship between ethical climate, organizational learning and innovative behavior

Depending on developments in technology, economics and social areas organizations have recently needed more efficient and ethical working environments. Demands for effective using of information, behaving innovative and productive, working in efficient, high performance and ethical environment have gained a serious popularity to the subjects of ethical climate, organizational learning, innovation and innovative behavior in business life. Especially when the effects of the change factor are considered in the last thirty years we can say that the organizational learning in terms of adopting the developments, the ethical climate in terms of the compliance of these developments with the norms and values and also the innovative thinking and acting in terms of adapting change have vital importance for organizations and societies. It was aimed to investigate the relationship between the concepts of ethical climate, organizational learning and innovative behavior in this study. In line with this objective, a study was conducted on the white collar employees of the biggest industrial organization of Turkey's largest first 500 industrial organization in 2016, which Istanbul Chamber of Industry (ISO) determined with reference to the criteria of size of sales from production. Depending on the purpose of the research, a large literature search was first made on concepts and theoretical information was given. Then, the first-hand data collection technique was preferred and the survey was applied to the employees. The analysis of the study included data from 526 participants. As a result of the correlation analysis made to determine the relations between the variables; it was found that there were positive and significant relationships between organizational learning and innovative behavior and all other sub-dimensions of ethical climate except instrumental sub-dimension. However, significant and positive relationships were found between all sub-dimensions of organizational learning and innovative behavior. Regression analyzes were performed to reveal the effects of the variables on each other. Requires the well-being of each other, rules, independence which are the sub-dimensions of ethical climate effect organizational learning positively while laws and codes, instrumental sub-dimension effect negatively. Additionally, it was found that all the other ethical climate dimensions, except the instrumental sub-dimension, also influenced innovative behaviors in the positive direction. On the other hand it was detected that organizational learning has been positively related to innovative behavior. Finally, moderate simple mediation analysis was conducted to test the interchangeable role of organizational learning in relation to ethical climate and innovative behavior. It has been understood that the relationship between ethical climate and innovative behavior is under the influence of organizational learning change and it has been determined that organizational learning has a mediating role as an intermediary variable in this relation. It is thought that this work, which is done as a doctoral thesis, has a guiding function in applications to managers and employees and that the results will be a source of different implications for scientific research and analysis. Keywords: Ethical climate, organizational learning, innovation, innovative behavior.