Ethical climate and innovative behavior: the mediating role of ethical conduct

Empirical evidence on the relationship between ethical climate and innovation in public sector organizations remains limited, particularly from a Central Asian perspective. Bridging this gap, this study investigates the influence of ethical climate on innovative behavior, mediated by ethical conduct. Data were collected via surveys from 206 full-time employees. Data were analyzed using regression and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Results indicate that a principled ethical climate directly fosters both ethical behavior and innovative behavior. However, a benevolent environment had no significant relationship with ethical behavior. Notably, SEM results revealed that ethical behavior does not mediate the relationship between ethical climate and innovation. These findings suggest that while a principled climate promotes multiple positive organizational outcomes, ethical conduct and innovative behavior act as parallel, independent outcomes rather than a sequential mechanism.