Page 5 - Thesis

Study 2: Model Testing Research Aims

The purpose of study 2 was two-fold. One 2) Model testing 2 : The PROCESS macro
objective was to replicate the scale develop- (Model 1, provided by Hayes, 2012) for SPSS
ment study. The second objective was to Statistics 23 (IBM Corp., 2015) was used to
examine the importance of ethics-related test the hypothesised relationships (see model
mentoring for protégé ethical behaviour by below).
testing the hypothesised model.

To reach our goals, we contracted with Qual-
trics Panels who then supplied a national
panel of US participants. In the survey, it was
clearly noted that respondents must have a
mentor – either formal or informal – and
currently work in a leadership position or
management role.
We began by testing the main effects of
A time-lagged study design was employed ethics-related mentoring and protégé ethical
(from October to December 2016). At time 1, behaviour. As predicted, mentor ethical role
210 protégés enrolled in the study and com- modelling was found to significantly and posi-
pleted a survey including all independent vari- tively influence protégé ethical leadership,
ables (i.e., ethics-related mentoring). At time 2 and negatively influence protégé turnover
(approx. 2 weeks later), 152 protégés (72.4% intentions. Against expectations, mentor ethi-
retention rate) completed a survey including cal role modelling was not significantly related
the dependent variables (i.e., protégé ethical to altruism. Further, mentor ethical guidance
behaviour). was not significantly related to the three ethi-
cal outcomes.

1) Scale replication study: The results
confirmed a twofactor model of ethics-related Next, we tested our moderation model. It
mentoring1, consisting of ethical role model- appears that a positive relationship between
ling (8 items) and ethical guidance (7 items). mentor ethics-related mentoring (ethical role
Evidence supports that they are reliable, inde- modelling and ethical guidance) and protégé
pendent and valid measures of ethics-related ethical behaviour (protégé ethical leadership
mentoring, and provides us with the confi- and altruism) was only significant at high levels
dence that the measure is suitable for use in of mentor prototypicality. In other words,
the current study and future research. The mentors – through their ethical guidance and
final scale is presented in the Appendix. role modelling – may only be able to

1
While this is different to the three-factor structure reported in The analysis included the responses of only those participants
2
study 1, we are confident in the validity and reliability of this more who had completed both waves of the study (N = 152).
parsimonious measure. Study 2 was based on a larger sample and
a sample that meets Hinkin’s (1998) minimum guidelines.