Relationship between Ethical Climate and Job Stress with Deviant Behavior of Employees: Mediating Role of Oppressive Leadership

Background: Deviant work behaviors are behaviors that threatened organizations by violation of labor laws. The purpose of this study is investigating the relationship between ethical climate and job stress with deviant behaviors of employees; mediating role of oppressive leadership Method: The research method was descriptive-correlation which has been conducted by survey method. Also, in terms of purpose, it was developmental-applied study. The statistical population of this study consisted of 9361 employee’s production line in steel industry in south of Iran while 596 of them were selected as the sample size through stratified random sampling. Data collection was done in library and the field and the instrument of this study were, interviews and questionnaires. In order to analyze the data, descriptive statistics and inferential statistics (one-sample t-test, structural equation modeling and confirmatory factor analysis) were used and data were analyzed through SPSS and Smart PLS. Results: The findings of the study confirmed the proposed pattern of the research and it showed there is a significant relationship between the factors related to employees' deviant behaviors (job stress, Ethical Climate), with deviant behaviors of employees; considering the moderating role of style oppressive leadership of industrial managers. Conclusion: Unethical and deviant behavior is a serious issue for organizations and every year, it imposes high costs on the organization. To this end, it is essential for the survival of organizations that these behaviors and factors affecting them are identified and in order to reduce them appropriate measures.