Responses to Ethical Violations by Female Sports Leaders: A Relational Approach

Abstract

Using Rusbult's investment typology of exit, voice, loyalty and neglect response categories [1], we employ a relational approach to understand how contextual and situational factors influence female athletic leaders' responses to ethical violations. Specifically, we examine blatant versus subtle violations (situational) versus rule-based and gender-based violations (contextual) factors. We find that female athletic leaders elected constructive (voice, loyalty) responses more frequently when violations were blatant or destructive (exit, neglect) responses were selected more frequently when violations were subtle. Violations that were gender-based versus rule-based elicited more destructive (exit, neglect) responses. Implications for how to increase leaders' effectiveness and the role of gender in responses to ethical violations are discussed.