The mediating role of employee moral awareness and the moderating role of political skills in the relationship between ethical leadership and knowledge sharing

The primary objective of this study is to examine the impact of ethical leadership on information sharing and to determine whether moral awareness has a mediating role and political skill a moderating role in this relationship. The study sample consists of employees working in the public and private sectors in Türkiye. Data were collected through a survey. The following questionnaires were used: the 10-item Ethical Leadership Scale developed by Brown, Trevino, and Harrison (2005); the 8-item Information Giving and Information Gathering Scale developed by Vries, Hoff, and Ridder (2006); the 18-item Political Skills Scale developed by Ferris vd. (2005); and the 30-item Ethical Climate Scale developed by Arnaud (2010). The data were analyzed using correlation and regression analyses. The analyses revealed a positive and significant relationship between ethical leadership and knowledge sharing. Employee moral awareness mediated the relationship between ethical leadership and knowledge sharing. Political skills also mediated the relationship between ethical leadership and knowledge sharing, and political skills moderated the indirect relationship. Furthermore, the statement "Employee political skills will moderate the relationship between employee moral awareness and knowledge sharing" was found to be incorrect. By examining the relationship between ethical leadership, knowledge sharing, moral awareness, and political skills, this study is expected to fill gaps in the literature and contribute to increasing knowledge sharing through ethical leadership practices in organizations.