The differential effects of leader Food safety priority and ethical leadership on food safety promotive and prohibitive voices: A socially desirable responding theory perspective

Abstract

Studies on impact of different leadership styles on the promotive and prohibitive forms of food safety voices are limited. Therefore, drawing on socially desirable responding theory, this study examined the differential effects of leader food safety priority and ethical leadership on food handlers’ promotive and prohibitive forms of food safety voices. We found that leader food safety priority and ethical leadership influence employee voice through different mechanisms. Moreover, the indirect impact of leader food safety priority on promotive voices was stronger, while ethical leadership had a stronger indirect effect on prohibitive voice. Finally, leader–member exchange strengthened the indirect effects of leadership antecedents on both forms of food safety voices. This study provides theoretical and practical contributions to food safety voice literature.