The mediating role of ethical work climate in the relationship between oversight mechanism and public accountability

Purpose This paper aims to examine the mediating role of ethical work climate in the relationship between oversight mechanism and accountability of public institutions. Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional research design together with a quantitative methodology was applied in the study. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data based on a sample of 92 municipal local governments. Data were analyzed using both the Statistical Package for Social Scientists and partial least squares structural equation modeling. Findings The findings revealed a positive and significant relationship between oversight mechanism and public accountability. The results further revealed that the ethical work climate partially mediates the relationship between the oversight mechanism and public accountability. Research limitations/implications In regard to limitations of the study and areas for further research, the study was undertaken in municipal local governments in Uganda. There may be a need to undertake a related study in municipal local governments in other countries or other categories of public organizations. The study applied a quantitative research approach to examine the mediating role of the ethical work climate in the relationship between the oversight mechanism and public accountability. Although this approach was found to be more appropriate by the researchers, it may also be possible to undertake studies that use a mixed research approach. Practical implications From a practical perspective, the study shows that the ethical work climate in public organizations shapes the staff's conduct and the care they take to align with the requirements of the oversight mechanism to ensure that they are viewed as accountable for their roles and responsibilities as individuals and as members of the collective. Social implications The functions of the oversight mechanism contribute to the work ethics of a public institution, but the ethical work climate also shapes the responses of staff to the requirements of the oversight mechanism and thus provides a framework through which the oversight mechanism passes to enhance the governance and accountability of a public institution. Public managers therefore need to put emphasis on the ethical characteristics of the organizations they lead and the factors that influence those characteristics in order to enhance the governance and accountability of their institutions. Originality/value The study is novel in its use of ethical work climate to mediate the relationship between oversight mechanism and accountability of public institutions with specific reference to municipal local governments in Uganda. There are no prior studies that have been observed to study this mediating role in relation to oversight mechanism and public accountability in the current context. However, it is noteworthy that the ethical work climate is an essential channel for the oversight mechanism functions to relate with organizational managers and staff to communicate and monitor accountability requirements. By doing so, the study adds to the growing literature on the foregoing associations.