The influence of ethical leadership on team effectiveness

: a relationship mediated by transactive memory systems

Abstract

Since several corporate ethical lapses were made public, the ethical conduct of leaders became, more than ever, a topic worth studying. Moreover, it is crucial to understand the role that an ethical leadership style might play in determining team positive outcomes. In this sense, the main objective of this dissertation is to examine the effect of ethical leadership on team effectiveness and team adaptability. To this end, it tests a mediating relationship linking ethical leadership with adaptability and the different components of team effectiveness, considering transactive memory systems as a mediator in these relationships. Based on a review of the existing literature, an exploratory research was used. Primary data was collected through a questionnaire answered by 33 leaders and 114 team member from three different contexts. Findings showed that ethical leadership positively predicts team effectiveness and TMS, but not team adaptability. However, when mediation analyses were conducted, results did not reveal any significant effect. In conclusion, findings from this study are relevant for organizations to consider when selecting their leaders. Practical implications and limitations of the study are discussed.

Date of Award	15 May 2017
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Patrícia Lopes Costa (Supervisor)