CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, NORTHRIDGE

Understanding the Effects of Unethical Behavior by Leaders on Municipal Government

Employees’ Morale and Productivity

A graduate project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements

For the degree of Master of Public Administration in Public Sector Management and Leadership

By
Berlyn Aguila

December 2022
Copyright Page

Copyright by Berlyn Aguila 2022

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Signature Page

The graduate project of Berlyn Aguila is approved:

________________________________________ _______________
Katherine Lorenz, Ph.D. Date

________________________________________ _______________
Nayan Ramirez, Ph.D. Date

________________________________________ _______________
Marc D. Glidden, Ph.D., Chair Date

California State University, Northridge

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 Table of Contents

Copyright Page ii

Signature Page iii

Abstract vi

Introduction 1

Literature Review 3

Public Administration Workforce 3

Challenges in Public Administration 5

Unethical Behaviors 8

Consequences of Unethical Behaviors in an Organization 11

Effects of Unethical Behaviors 13

Research Gap 15

Research Question and Aim 16

Research Methods 17

Methodological Approach 17

Study Setting and Population of Interest 17

Data Collection 18

Sampling Design 19

Discussion 21

Ethical Considerations 21

Limitations 22

Expected Results 23

Conclusion 24

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References 26

Appendix A 34

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 Abstract

Understanding the Effects of Unethical Behavior by Leaders on Municipal Government

Employees’ Morale and Productivity

By

Berlyn Aguila

Master of Public Administration in Public Sector Management and Leadership

Public sector leaders are held to a high set of ethical standards. Proper ethical decisions

are established to promote public interest over personal benefits. However, unethical behaviors

are just one of many challenges public administration faces in the workforce, and these

challenges and behaviors have an immense effect on employees’ morale and productivity. This

study examines the effects of unethical behaviors by leaders on municipal government

employees’ morale. This quantitative study utilizes probability sampling to select middle

management members from the Government Finance Officers Association and Municipal

Management Association of Southern and Northern California to participate in an anonymous

survey. The findings in this research will help bring awareness to an ongoing challenge and

comprehend the effects of ethical behaviors on employees. Additionally, results can encourage

public organizations to create stricter ethical policies, find better levels of measurement and take

higher consideration of employees’ emotions. Thus, creating a positive environment for all.

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 Introduction

Public employees are civil servants who provide honest and ethical work for community

members. In return, the public entrusts government employees to regulate policies, finances, and

organizational practices as ethically as possible. Ethical conduct in an organization is crucial for

the better good of a community using taxpayers’ money. However, the entire organization and its

employees will be affected if a public servant makes an unethical decision. What constitutes

ethical behavior can vary by an organization’s norms and ethics code (Oppong, 2019). Although

dishonest behavior differs in an organization, the outcome will remain the same, such as loss of

public trust and a decrease in employee morale that can affect productivity, stigma, and a

negative reputation.

A prevalent issue that leaders may not understand is that they positively and negatively

influence employees. It could include motivation, willingness to report certain behaviors,

absences, and commitment (Hassan, 2019). Perry and Wise (1990) argue that there is little focus

on the effects of unethical behavior because there is a general assumption that although

questionable, individuals who accept government positions are aware of unethical responsibility,

care for others, and have public service motivation. Perry and Wise (1990) made this argument

in the 1990s, and since, mentalities have shifted, with some individuals believing that public

leaders may use their position of power to meet their own needs (Wright et al., 2016). Therefore,

this research focuses on the various unethical behaviors that go against public administration’s

code of ethics. It is essential to understand the effects that leaders have on their employee’s

behaviors, emotions, and attitudes, as they are the individuals that community members entrust

to make moral and ethical decisions when adopting resolutions.

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 The public sector continues to subject employees to a high standard of integrity and

accountability because taxpayer money is used to give back to community members to enhance

economic growth. Taxpayers must trust public organizations to make ethical decisions with their

money. However, research has concluded that the public will lose trust if an organization

practices unethical behavior (Vaughn-Furlow, 2018). A study by Pew Research Center (2022)

found that trust between the people and government is usually no larger than 30%. Without trust,

society may not function appropriately and not act on what is in the best interests of society

(Faulkner, 2018). Failure to demonstrate integrity and accountability in public administration

will result in unethical conduct (Armstrong, 2005).

This study will address the following research question: How do unethical behaviors

made by leaders affect employee morale and productivity in municipal government? This study

will evaluate what effects leaders’ behaviors have on employees in middle management using a

survey conducted via probability sampling. This will allow middle management employees to

share their experiences and personal emotions. A survey will be emailed to members of the

Municipal Management Association of Southern and Northern California and the Government

Finance Officers Association. Results can be used to create new policies to avoid unethical

behaviors and focus on the importance of employee values and retention.

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 Literature Review

This literature review analyzes past research that has identified effects on employee

morale caused by unethical behavior from leaders in the public sector. Employee morale plays an

essential element in performance and efficiency in an organization (Rukshani & Senthilnathan,

2015). The public administration workforce clarifies the expectations of public service in the

eyes of a leader and an employee. This literature review also identifies various unethical

behaviors, including corruption, quid-pro-quo, nepotism, conflict of interest, and how specific

issues in the public sector may encourage unethical acts. Furthermore, research has concluded a

correlation between unethical leaders and their employees’ morale and productivity.

Public Administration Workforce

Public administration has been the heart of democracy in the United States since

Woodrow Wilson founded it in the late 1800s. Although signs of public administration may date

back to the Antiquity Era, the concept of public administration was not acknowledged until

Wilson published “The Study of Administration” in the Columbia University Political Science

Quarterly (Brownlow, 1956). In 1887, Wilson defined public administration as a form of public

law intending to divide administration and politics (Jividen, 2022). Public administration now

has the purpose of managing and servicing public affairs. Moreover, it holds responsibilities,

personnel, creation, and delivery of policies while establishing a clear divider between politicians

(Thapa, 2020). All while ranking honesty as an essential service and value to the public (Wells &

Molina, 2017). Honesty is one of many values and responsibilities that public administration

holds themselves to.

Since the technical creation of public administration by Woodrow Wilson, public

administration has evolved throughout the last century. Going through different theoretical

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stages, we are now dealing with public administration during postmodernism. During this

period, the public sector is experiencing organizational changes. As younger generations prevail

in the workforce, they demand public organizations to accommodate the new needs. Green &

Robert (2012) call the new generation the Emergent Workforce because they will actively work

with multiple generations, which has never been seen before. Green & Robert (2012) add that the

new generation expects an organization to emphasize accountability, integrity, and loyalty to the

workplace. In contrast, past generations focused on security and loyalty by remaining with the

organization for years. With so many sudden changes, the organization is experiencing a clash of

postmodern values, such as economic, social, and political effects. Understanding this new

workforce will allow public administration to adapt, accommodate, and encourage them to

remain in public administration. Moreover, redesigning management and understanding the

technological skills and values of the newer generation will help public organizations analyze if

past leading approaches will be the best fit for the organization.

Currently, most public organizations follow a top-down management approach. This

approach allows leaders to distinguish high and low-level work and establish a sense of control

(Eby, 2018). Many government entities follow the same strategy to form a hierarchical system to

make decisions. Specifically, a leader, or the higher level, will make decisions and communicate

the expected resolution to those considered below them. This involves delegating the work to

lower levels and seeking whatever is necessary to complete the request made by the one above.

An example is the federal government. The federal government has more control over state and

local governments (Imperial, 2021). This includes new laws, regulations, and finances. Leaders

at the top chain of command for the State or local government are pressured to meet the federal

government’s request without any resources. The second disadvantage of a top-down approach is

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that those assigned a task do not partake in the planning process and can only receive and

execute the request - allowing leaders to function as they wish without any consequences. A

study conducted by Harvard Business Law found that employees prefer to “play it safe” and not

speak out against their leaders because that could lead to a hostile environment (Detert &

Edmondson, 2007). This could include witnessing unethical behavior by their leaders, although

there is a Code of Ethics in place. Even if leaders are aware of unethical conduct, they may not

understand its effect on employees. These instances are one of many challenges the public sector

faces.

Challenges in Public Administration

The public sector is continuously evolving to adapt to current standards and demands.

With constant change, new challenges are expected to arise frequently. While viewing these

challenges from a third-party perspective, community members can demand that public

administration exercise good judgment and be held accountable, if necessary, because public

funds will be used to resolve challenges (Curristine et al., 2007). The severity of challenges

varies from small to large; some are as large as wicked problems, which Bueren and colleagues

(2003) define as “persistent despite considerable efforts to solve them. This is especially true of

highly technical problems in the fields of environment, health, and safety” (p. 999). In other

words, wicked problems are significant issues that are uncommon, and navigating through a

resolution will revolve around much uncertainty. However, suppose an organization has highly

skilled managers, leaders, and technical experts, the probability of resolving wicked problems,

such as unethical behaviors, is advantageous to the organization and its employees because it can

decrease the probability of it affecting employees’ morale and productivity.

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 Leaders are essential assets to all organizations. An effective leader is known to be an

individual that seeks to challenge, change, create and inspire the organization and its followers

(Storey, 2003). Not having influential leaders presents a challenge to public administration.

Hanif and colleagues (2020) state that public administration leaders should exhibit expertise-

based intuitive leadership to adapt to new challenges quickly. Subsequently, other factors are

involved besides quick adaptation, such as personal characteristics, tasks, and the environment

the leader will be deciding (Sales et al., 2010). These factors must be considered when leaders

demonstrate an expertise-based intuitive leadership style. This type of leadership style has a

combination of experience, expertise, and wisdom. Knowledge is a skill developed with training

and years of experience (Hanif et al., 2020). However, leaders must identify the best leadership

style for their organization and their followers. It can challenge public administration when

leaders refuse to adapt to new organizational changes. The public sector may hold a substantial

value in following standard policies and procedures, making it difficult to change. Thus, bringing

excellent value to the organization when employee morale and productivity may be affected.

To provide this solution, an organization must build a skilled team of employees to meet

ongoing demands. Unfortunately, that brings another challenge to public administration because

public organizations may be limited and must follow pre-approved policies and procedures. The

time-consuming hiring practices, limited salaries, and difficulty attracting the new generations

will bring uncertainty, and the organizations will not have the workforce capacity necessary to

resolve new demands while still providing public services (NAPD, n.d.). The public workforce is

continuously changing, and employees need to adapt or be given the necessary training to make

changes. Organizations must also try to attract new employees who strive to make changes for

the better good. Bringing new talent can redevelop and create a competitive organization

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(Morgan, 2014). On the other hand, the approved policies and procedures that are set in place are

for a generation of employees. We are seeing these employees retire and leave the workforce to

the younger generations. Morgan (2014) suggests that new organizational generations bring new

behaviors, approaches, attitudes, and expectations from leaders. Thus, current employees will

train the new generation and must adapt to new standards to retain the new wave. However, it

will be difficult if public administration is limited and not adapting to the new standards.

The United States also deals with what Time Magazine calls The Great Resignation of

2022. Mission Square Research Institute found that there were 400,000 fewer government

employees from 2019 to 2022. Many state that the reason for leaving the public sector is that

they are searching for a higher salary, feeling burnt out because of the workload, and seeking a

better work-life balance. Thus, making it difficult for public organizations to retain their

employees. Employees who decide to retire or change jobs are transferred to others without

rightful compensation, leaving the organization short-staffed. This makes employees more likely

to resign (Semuels, 2022). Without change from the top, leaders must adapt and figure out ways

to support their employees as much as possible.

A common challenge in public administration is temptation. Leaders are often placed in

positions that require them to make complex decisions that not all stakeholders will agree to.

This is a dilemma in which a leader’s temptation conflicts with other long-term goals (Stillman

et al., 2017). Frequently, leaders do not agree with the decisions they have to make but must

respect the rules and regulations of the organization and the meaning behind public service.

Leaders set high standards for an organization, and employees are expected to follow those

standards (Banerji & Krishnan, 2000). Public service employees can be placed in these

unforeseen circumstances multiple times throughout their careers. Although it can sometimes be

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difficult, a frequent reminder of the purpose of civil service and any long-term effects could be a

helpful strategy. The urge of temptation could be challenging to sustain, and they cannot

recognize these behaviors as unethical (Gino et al., 2011.) Giving up against temptation may lead

to these acts continuing regardless of who witnesses the behaviors, including employees.

Unethical Behaviors

Unethical behaviors are decisions and behaviors that violate current or past moral

standards (Brown & Mitchell, 2010). Public administration sustains itself in making moral and

ethical conscious decisions whenever possible. Ethical behaviors are a prime principle of civil

service (Belle & Cantarelli, 2017). Employees, including leaders, must demonstrate that ethical

decisions will be chosen over personal temptation. Nevertheless, how do leaders know what

unethical behaviors are? In a similar method to avoid temptation, leaders must first be aware of

what is considered unethical in the eye of the government. It is the job of the workplace to

promote awareness of ethical practices. With proper ethical training given to all employees, they

will become self-aware and make decisions during these predicaments. This section will identify

the most common unethical behaviors in the public sector.

One of the most common forms of unethical behavior is public corruption. The United

States Department of Justice (2020) defines public corruption as a “violation of federal law for

any federal, state, or local government official to ask for or receive anything of value in

exchange for, or because of, any official act.” Typically, these deals are made on the side,

commonly known as “under-the-table deals.” There are two ways that public corruption is

analyzed: a functionalist approach or a Weberian approach. The functionalist approach to

corruption emerged in the 1960s. It was seen as a form of lubrication between companies and

investors to facilitate the process instead of hindering development (Zhang & Kim, 2018). In

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contrast, the Weberian approach finds that providing public goods and services does a greater

good than public equality and efficiency (Zhang & Kim, 2018). Although these approaches are

focused on the greater good, under the code of ethics, corruption is unacceptable in public

service. If a leader is found guilty of corruption, they may have to deal with one of many ranges

of penalties, including the removal from office. Public employees are held to higher standards of

honesty and ethical decisions.

Like public corruption, another form of unethical behavior in a public organization is

quid-pro-quo. This unethical behavior is equal trade between two parties (Gordon, 2021). Quid-

pro-quo is defined as unethical because it is a favor for a favor, and if one of the parties decides

to back out, the other party will not meet their part of the agreement. Leaders or those with

authority are the individuals that would highlight this behavior—sometimes leading to an illegal

scenario that could result in jail time. A typical quid-pro-quo scenario is harassment by an

authoritative figure. For example, a Councilmember may demand that the hiring manager

disqualify candidates from a specific demographic. If the hiring manager does not comply with

the request, they will be fired. This example not only demonstrates unethical behavior, but it is

also illegal, and the organization may be fined for employment discrimination. Theories suggest

that this is the exploitation of power (Lindgren, 1993). This goes against the ethical values of the

public sector because government leaders must constantly make decisions for the public interest

and not for personal gain. There are other acts of unethical behavior that are derived from the

exploitation of power.

A third common unethical behavior in public organizations is nepotism. Chassamboulli

and Gomes (2020) define nepotism as a form of job restriction reserved for a political or personal

connection to someone in the organization. In other words, nepotism is considered favoritism or

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“whom they know.” This unethical behavior allows for promotions, higher wages, and better

opportunities because someone with authority may know that employee. A study by Fafchamps

and Labonne (2017) found that local elected officials were willing to employ people or place

specific individuals in a better-paying occupation over those who did not have many members

within the city limits. These selected individuals were not given their occupations by merit but

because of nepotism displayed by the local elected official(s). Moreover, nepotism may also

cause entitlement nepotism for those hired within the organization due to their connections. This

causes those employees to feel a sense of entitlement and protection from the leader that made

the decision. Additionally, this unethical behavior creates a closed-off system that prevents new

types of goals and attitudes for the organization causing societal inequality (Valamis, 2022).

California Department of Human Resources states that recommending a family member or friend

is not illegal. However, if an appointing power hires someone with whom they have a personal

relationship, this is considered a form of discrimination and is illegal. The hiring leader and the

known employee may cause a conflict of interest.

Lastly, conflict of interest is another common unethical behavior leaders tend to display

in public service. Boyce & Davids (2009) state that conflicts of interest have interconnected

between the public and private sectors, making the conflict of interest more complex. Indeed,

conflicts of interest surround the public sector more now during the 21st century than ever before.

Public administration is beginning to contract with the private sector due to cost-effectiveness

and democratic accountability (DiMartino & Scoutt, 2012). It becomes unethical when public

service leaders influence contracts with personally chosen private companies. Although it may

be a cheaper alternative, it is not ethically correct. Furthermore, there are many conflicts of

interest, such as financial conflicts. Public organizations may witness such conflicts when

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“financial interests directly affect, or could appear to affect, the professional judgment of a

researcher when designing, conducting, or reporting research (The University of Washington

Research, n.d.). For example, local elected officials cannot decide on a property within 500 feet

of their personal property because there may be a financial gain if the potential project were

approved. Corruption, quid-pro-quo, nepotism, and conflicts of interest are a few unethical

behaviors in the public sector. Although leaders may not demonstrate these behaviors daily, they

exist and can potentially hinder the organization.

Consequences of Unethical Behaviors in an Organization

Unethical practices happen more often than believed across public and private

organizations. Both sectors aim to protect the organization by having ethical employees who

understand the different unethical behaviors and consequences. Askew and colleagues (2015)

state that organizations expect employees to exhibit ethical behavior that creates positive

outcomes for the organization. However, the public sector has more consequential effects

because public organizations deal with taxpayers’ money. Notably, community members expect

public employees to utilize funding ethically. If not, leaders’ decisions to practice unethical

behaviors affect many aspects of each organization. This brings great concern to the

organization, which will suffer the consequences for years. For instance, the City of Bell

corruption scandal in the late 2000s. Former City Manager Robert Rizzo and multiple

Councilmembers were charged with misappropriating funds. This small city corruption case

caused so much attention that it was considered the largest local government scandal in

California (Chapman University, 2015). Although the City of Bell has progressed since the

scandal, many consequences will still transpire against the organization.

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 Most importantly, an organization will lose public trust. As previously mentioned, one of

the main principles of public service is trust and loyalty, which create a foundation for ethical

behavior (DEO, n.d.). The public must trust the government to encourage voluntary compliance

when implementing political reforms or public policy (OECD, 2013). This is crucial during

certain circumstances, such as public health emergencies. Public organizational actions may

become questionable, also losing credibility. To gain trust, public organizations must be

transparent. Alessandro and colleagues (2021) found that transparency is on the same level as

trust because it is a prime indication that the government is honest. These results indicate that

trust is multidimensional and should demonstrate honesty and competence. This could include

providing information about the organization’s decision-making process, procedures, and

performance (Rawlins, 2009). If public organizations do not demonstrate these attributes after

unethical conduct, community members may experience negative emotions toward the

organization and search for justice (Backmann et al., 2015). Community members just witnessed

the effects of mistrust in government during the COVID-19 pandemic. Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention began to encourage the COVID-19 vaccine for the nation’s greater good.

However, even when mandated, some community members refused to receive the vaccine

(Jennings et al., 2021). These actions demonstrated a clear divide between the people and

government organizations. It was clear that these beliefs did not just start recently. This could be

because certain government entities have failed to exhibit ethical practices, leading to a negative

reputation.

If unethical behaviors are brought to the public’s attention, an organization may lose

credibility and create a negative reputation. Humans are naturally more attentive to negativity

(Smyth, 2017). If severe enough, other organizations will suffer from it. For example, the City of

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Bell scandal. Although it is a small city, it created a bad reputation for other cities and

governments. This scandal caused mistrust between government agencies and community

members. It raised concerns about unawareness and malfunctions of checks and balances

(Bertsou, 2018). Studies have also shown that the likelihood of conducting unethical behaviors

increases when witnessing others’ unethical behaviors (Pascula-Ezama et al., 2015). Therefore,

this creates a negative reputation for the organization and continued mistrust in local

government.

Lastly, the public sector notices low retention and high turnover rate, and local

government is no exception. Rates increase when specific actions and behaviors are witnessed.

There was a point when many community members aimed to become civil servants due to the

security and benefits it offered. Past generations were searching for such protection. However,

the younger generations (Millennials and Gen Z) are not afraid to change jobs or careers (CNBC,

2021). Gen Z and millennials primarily look for work-life balance, whereas past generations

searched for security (Zaharee et al., 2018). The CNBC (2021) study also concludes that

employees leave because of the environment and poor management (Zaharee et al., 2018).

Leadership has a considerable influence on retention and turnover. Good leadership positively

impacts organizational commitment and having good organizational commitment results in a

lower turnover rate (Sulantara et al., 2020). Part of organizational commitment is ethical

behavior. Employees that witness unethical behaviors are likely to leave because it goes against

ethical norms (Pierce & Snyder, 2015). This causes an organization to scramble to find a

replacement or service for affected community members. The research identifies the challenges

unethical behaviors cause in organizations.

Effects of Unethical Behaviors on Employees

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 Nonetheless, leaders displaying unethical behaviors have hidden costs, such as impacting

their employees’ morale (Gurlek, 2020). Merriam-Webster defines morale as an individual's

mental and emotional condition regarding an event or task. Employees’ morale is defined by

how they feel about their perception and role in the organization. Employees of all levels in a

public organization are aware of the ethical standards they must abide by when accepting a

position in government. Leaders must follow standards that lead the way for those under to

follow suit. Therefore, if an employee aims to conduct themselves as ethically as possible yet

witnesses a leader conduct themselves otherwise, their perception and role in the organization

will be altered.

A decrease in employee morale may also damage employees' work productivity. As

previously mentioned, an organization is successful if only employees share the same goals and

values. However, if the employees’ morale is affected by witnessing unethical behavior, there is

a reevaluation, where goals and values are no longer shared. This causes employees to lose sight

of public administration’s purpose and role as public servants. Unethical behaviors affect

employees’ morale, leading to less productivity and damaging the service provided to

community members. Moreover, public services are paid for with taxes, and community

members expect their money to be used with a high standard of conduct (Gilman, 2005).

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 Research Gap

The literature review identifies the effects of unethical behaviors on municipal

government employees’ morale (Buye, 2020). Past and current research has created an insight

into the problems that leaders’ behaviors cause for their employees. This research focuses on

determining the decrease in employee morale, which leads to decreased productivity. However,

research to date lacks identifying how unethical behaviors change high morale and productive

employees to low morale and underactive employees. There is a possibility that researchers have

not been able to determine how it progressively affects employees because there are not enough

quality observational studies focusing on the leaders and the current challenges that public

administration faces, such as matching leadership styles and temptation. This gap in research

does not allow a researcher to adequately address the issue and provide information on how to

resolve it using the appropriate approach and training. Employees are experiencing the adverse

effects of leaders’ unethical behaviors, and organizations cannot appropriately increase morals

because of this identified gap.

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 Research Question and Aim

This research intends to address the following question: What are the effects of unethical

behaviors made by leaders on municipal government employees’ morality and productivity? This

study will identify the various challenges, unethical behaviors, and consequences of these

unethical behaviors on employees. In connection, the research aims to understand whether

unethical behaviors shown by leaders will create mistrust in the organization, low morale, and a

decrease in productivity by the employees. The findings of this study will help municipal leaders

understand the consequences of unethical behaviors on employees and create stricter policies that

will hold individuals accountable for their actions. Furthermore, the data collected could call for

more ethics-based efforts like training.

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 Research Methods

The purpose of this research is to explore the effects of unethical leadership behaviors on

employee morale and productivity using a survey. The study will include municipal middle

management members from the Government Finance Officers Association and Municipal

Management Association of Southern and Northern California.

Methodological Approach

This study will use a quantitative approach to comprehend the personal effects of

unethical behaviors. The survey will be created on an online survey website as it is low cost,

easy to reach large numbers of participants, anonymous, and ready at their convenience. Before

starting the survey, the participant will be asked to acknowledge the requirements set for

partaking in the survey: to be as honest as possible and that personal information such as their

name, address, number, or place of employment will not be collected (Appendix A). The survey

will be divided into two parts. The first section will request the participant’s age, gender, and

time working in municipal government. The second section will ask participants to answer a

series of closed-ended questions using a five-point Likert scale that identifies their knowledge of

ethics in the public sector, types of unethical behavior by leaders, and how that made them feel

as a person and employees of the organization.

Study Setting and Population of Interest

The aim is to survey employees with titles such as directors, managers, analysts, and line

staff. This study will survey California municipal employees belonging to the Government

Finance Officers Association and Municipal Management Association of Southern and Northern

California. The Government Finance Officers Association has only a few thousand members in

California, and the Municipal Management Association of Southern and Northern California has

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approximately 700 members. Both organizations strive to inform and connect employees from

one agency to another and provide necessary outreach, including ethics training. Therefore, the

members of these organizations will be a great asset to this study as they are regularly active

members, are aware of ethical and unethical behaviors, are currently working in municipal

government, and will provide insight into smaller-scale government.

Data Collection

In this type of approach, results will explore the effects of unethical behavior by leaders,

between unethical behaviors made by leaders and the impacts on their employees' morale and

productivity. All survey questions will be created on paper and uploaded to a paid Qualtrics

account to be used solely for this study. Qualtrics facilitates the process by tracking results and

reducing the chances of human error by allowing the system to automate the results instead of

the researcher manually calculating them.

A formal introduction, including the survey link, will be sent as a mass email to the

indicated groups. The researcher and the reason for the survey will be stated in this initial

introduction email to gain trust. Doing so meets the Institutional Review Board (IRB)

requirement of informed consent. Since the survey will use a five-point Likert scale with

responses including (1) strongly disagree, (2) disagree, (3) neutral, (4) agree, and (5) strongly

agree the survey is anticipated to take approximately 10 minutes. The initial email will indicate

the study's length to attract participants.

The email will be emailed during the third quarter of 2023 to avoid interfering with

yearly deadlines. It is crucial to obtain more accurate data to receive answers from a large pool of

participants. Therefore, the survey will remain open and active from three weeks to six months.

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 The survey analysis will allow the researcher to understand how unethical behaviors

affect employees’ morale and productivity. The focus is on employees in local government and

the emotional effects that cause deterrence in their work. A fraction of the identified population

work in local government. Therefore, the researcher expects a 50% response rate at the very

least, and if the response rate is not met by the third week, the deadline may be modified. A

reminder email will be sent in the third week, and once the study has been concluded and the

data analyzed, the results will be emailed to both listservs.

Mailing the survey as an alternate option will be provided to the participants. If not

enough responses are received, a reminder email will be sent during week two. While the survey

may be extended, the study is expected to be completed within six months.

Sampling Design

A researcher must determine a sampling frame to narrow down eligible populations that

will provide a conclusion for future research (Tewary, 2021). The researcher will use probability

sampling to help identify the effects of leaders’ unethical behaviors on employees. Surveys will

only be emailed to active employees subscribed to the listserv of the Government Finance

Officers Association and Municipal Management Association of Southern and Northern

California. The Government Finance Officers Association has approximately 20,000 members

nationwide, but only a fraction is in California. The Municipal Management Association of

Southern and Northern California has about 700 members. Members that are a part of both

organizations include city managers, finance directors, analysts, nonprofit managers, and

administrators.

Only those who receive the email are allowed to participate. The survey is expected to

reach a high volume of individuals due to how many members are a part of each association. The

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researcher will indicate that the survey is intended for municipal government employees only.

Although some members of the Government Finance Officers Association and Municipal

Management Association of Southern and Northern California are the final decision makers,

such as city managers and finance directors, the likelihood of witnessing unethical behaviors

remains probable. The survey does not intend to disqualify participants who hold higher-level

positions. Instead, the initial introduction questions will ask about the participant’s age, gender,

if they are working in municipal government, how many years of service in municipal

government and what position they currently have.

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 Discussion

This study aims to study the effects of unethical behaviors from leaders on municipal

government employees. To properly conduct the research, the researcher has identified the

ethical considerations that will be partaken throughout the research process, potential limitations,

and expected results when the research has concluded.

Ethical Considerations

A few ethical considerations should be noted while conducting the research. First and

foremost, participation will be entirely voluntary, and informed consent is required before

beginning the research and is a form of human protection. Additionally, it ensures that the

participant fully comprehends the study during the completion process. Arifin (2018) states that

obtaining consent from a participant is by assuring that the participant is explained the purpose

of the research, the process of conducting the research and providing them a right to accept

participation. Before beginning the survey, the participant will be asked to accept that they are

volunteering at their own will and may choose to withdraw from the research at any time. If the

survey is not completed, the researcher may not contact the participant or use any data from an

uncompleted survey.

A second ethical consideration is ensuring anonymity. The survey will not require

participants to state their name or the name of the public organization that they work for. The

concluding note will state the researcher’s contact information that the participant may contact if

they have any questions or wish to discuss the study further.

Lastly, the researcher will request that all participants agree to be as honest as possible

and provide consent to use the information provided in the survey. Due to the study being online,

21
participants may take the survey at any location and time. This will allow them to take the

necessary time away from the workplace.

Limitations

With any given type of research, there are limitations that the researcher will encounter.

Some limitations of this study may be the sample size, the length of the study, and the

interpretation of the results. This research will only sample individuals from California that are

members of the Municipal Management Association of Southern and Northern California and the

Government Finance Officers Association. The researcher may find data imparities by not

sending the survey outside the two groups, resulting in demographic limitations. Those choosing

to participate may not represent the demographics of all public sector workers.

Secondly, time is crucial during a study. The length of the study may cause a limitation

when it is extended for an extended period. Moreover, the longer the study duration is, the more

changes it may cause to the overall study. There will also be an increase in expected costs, loss

of interest, and an increased participation attrition rate. Some participants may expect to receive

results in a timely planner, and credibility may be decreased if they are unavailable within the

expected time frame.

With the study being conducted online, participants may be naturally discouraged from

asking follow-up questions regarding the survey and risk their anonymity. The questions in the

survey are created to project a clear focus and personal experience. Monroe and Carter (2018)

state that the questions selected to ask are essential because it creates a mental process and

relation between the question and the objective in participants.

Similarly, questions from the survey are meant to ask about their encounters with leaders’

behavior. However, due to the survey containing only closed-ended questions, the participant can

22
only answer the limited number of questions related to their emotions that the researcher has

provided. The pre-set and limited questions do not allow the participant to express themselves

openly and provide details that may be important to them as they would have the opportunity to

in a qualitative study.

Expected Results

The study’s purpose is to obtain data on how and why unethical behaviors from leaders

discourage employees’ morale and productivity. The results are expected to demonstrate how

emotionally damaging unethical behaviors are and how it discourages an employee's views of an

organization. It provides a distinct perspective on direct consequences made by others. Most

importantly, the researcher expects to find that unethical behaviors continue to occur in local

government, although training has increased for all employees, including leaders. Due to the lack

of change, these behaviors are affecting employees’ morale and desire to remain in public

service, leading to higher turnover. Furthermore, the data collected may help understand ways to

mitigate unethical behaviors. In return, they are creating stricter policies or teaching an

organization to adapt to the changes in government. The researcher also expects to confirm that

unethical behavior affects employees’ morale and productivity and possibly expand the known

data from past research. The organization should teach employees what actions to act on if there

is temptation, bribery, or quid-pro-quo. When any employee demonstrates such actions, this

would be a perfect example of reinforcing consequences.

23
 Conclusion

When accepting any position in government, employees are subjected to good moral and

ethical standards. The University of Texas Arlington (2016) states that public servants must meet

such standards primarily for accountability between the public and administration. Additionally,

it ensures that employees make decisions based on public interests and not to their benefit. If

these ethical practices are engraved in public employees and leaders still choose to act

unethically, how does that affect employees’ morale? The literature review identifies the

challenges of non-influential leaders, unethical behaviors such as corruption, quid-pro-quo,

nepotism, and the consequences of unethical behaviors on employees.

This research gathers previous data on the effects of unethical behaviors from leaders and

employees in government. Furthermore, this research will specifically identify the effects on

employees working only in California's municipal government using a quantitative approach.

Participants will complete an online survey containing Likert-based questions about their

understanding of ethics in government, their emotional attitudes toward witnessing unethical

behaviors, and how they foresee an organization. Specific individuals have been asked to

participate in the survey because they are members of organizations that only accept employees

with specific middle management titles. The participants asked to participate are individuals that

are likely to work closely with their leaders.

Although leaders are aware that ethical behaviors are critical in the public sector, they

also need to understand what is considered unethical, so they do not inhibit these actions. This is

already a challenge to public administration alongside the wicked problems, limited policies, not

enough influential leaders, and, most importantly, withholding the feeling of temptation. The

consequences of these actions from leaders cause continuous public mistrust, a negative

24
government reputation, a high employee turnover, and damage to the employees’ morale and

productivity (Bowes, n.d.).

The results from this study will highlight the importance of emotional distress in

employees and how that, in return, affects the organization. Individuals in leadership or with

authoritative power must understand the lasting effects and demand new policies to hold

individuals accountable for their actions. Other policies should include ethical awareness and

prevention. Research is conducted in hopes that leaders will reconsider their actions and return

their trust to the employees surrounding them, creating a positive environment that will

encourage employees to be ethical and do what is best for the organization and the public.

25
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 Appendix A
Questionnaire
Thank you for taking the time to participate in this study. The goal of this survey is to understand
the effects leaders may have on employees in municipal government. All responses will remain
anonymous, and by completing the survey, you agree that all information provided is accurate
and that your participation is voluntary.

Section I:
1. How old are you?
a. 18-29 years old
b. 30-39 years old
c. 40-49 years old
d. 50-59 years old
e. 60+ years old

2. What is your gender?

a. Man
b. Woman
c. Non-binary
d. Other

3. Do you work in municipal government?

a. Yes
b. No

4. How long have you worked in municipal government?

a. 0-5 years
b. 6-10 years
c. 11-20 years
d. 21-25 years
e. 26+ years

5. What is your position in municipal government?

a. City Manager
b. Assistant City Manager
c. Director
d. Manager
e. Analyst
f. Line staff

34
Section II:
(1) Strongly (2) Disag (3) Neutral (4) Agree (5) Strongly
Disagre ree Agree
e
I have a good 1 2 3 4 5
understanding
of ethics in
the public
sector.
Ethics 1 2 3 4 5
training
should be
provided
every year
There are 1 2 3 4 5
various types
of unethical
behaviors.
Leaders in my 1 2 3 4 5
organization
demonstrate
ethical
behaviors.
Ethical 1 2 3 4 5
leadership is
instrumental
in
strengthening
organizational
values.
Witnessing 1 2 3 4 5
unethical
behaviors
affects the
way I portray
the
organization.
Witnessing 1 2 3 4 5
unethical
behaviors
affects my
emotions and
attitude.
Witnessing 1 2 3 4 5
unethical
behaviors
affects my
morale.
Having a 1 2 3 4 5
positive
ethical
climate
helped my
overall
performance.

35