High-Performance Work Systems and Ethical Leadership: A Case Study in a Pakistani Public Hospital

Abstract

This paper explores the relationships between contemporary human resource management (HRM) practices, ethical leadership, and employee attitudes and behaviours based on a case study research in a large tertiary care public hospital in Lahore, Pakistan. The study examined the extent to which high-performance work systems (HPWS) influenced employees organisational citizenship behaviour (OCB) through affective commitment (AC). Further, we examined how ethical leadership moderated the mediating relationship between HPWS and affective commitment to influence OCB. Survey data were gathered from 548 front-line doctors and nurses. Our findings suggest that first, AC positively mediated the relationship between HPWS and OCB in that when employees perceive and experience some level of HPWS they are more likely to experience affective commitment and in turn more likely to exhibit organisational citizenship behaviours. Second, AC positively mediated the relationship between EL and OCB. Similarly, those employees who experience ethical leadership are more likely to feel committed to the organisation and practice OCB. Third, we did not find the support for ethical leadership as a moderated mediation between HPWS and affective commitment to influence OCB. Finally, we discuss these findings and draw conclusions which highlight theoretical, managerial and practical implications for the public healthcare sector. Keywords: High-performance work systems, ethical leadership, affective commitment, organisational citizenship behaviour, public healthcare, Pakistan.

Keywords: High Performance, Ethical Leadership, Pakistani Public Hospital