The relationship between ethical climate, corporate reputation and corporate identity: The case of Turkish defence industry companies

Although corporate identity, corporate reputation, and ethical climate have been scrutinized separately in the literature, the fact that no studies have been found about whether corporate reputation has an effect on corporate identity and the mediating role of ethical climate in this effect has aroused interest in investigating this subject. In the research, the deductive method was used from the general to the specific, and the quantitative research method was used because the data to be obtained from the company employees is based on quantitative data. A relational survey model was used to determine the level of relationship and impact between corporate identity, corporate reputation, and ethical climate. Within the scope of the research, the data were collected by the survey method, which is a quantitative research technique. The population of the research consists of Turkish defense industry company employees. The sample of the research was determined as the employees in 5 companies that are allowed to conduct research out of 7 Turkish defense industry companies included in the "Defense News Top 100" index. Convenience sampling method, which is one of the non-random sampling methods, was used while determining the people to participate in the research. According to the findings obtained as a result of the analyzes, corporate reputation has a positive effect on corporate identity and ethical climate. However, ethical climate positively affects corporate identity. Ethical climate has a partial mediation role in the effect of corporate reputation on corporate identity. While the level of corporate reputation, corporate identity and ethical climate do not differ according to gender, the level of corporate reputation, corporate identity and ethical climate differ according to educational status and age.