Employees' perceptions of responsible leadership in private security: a mediation model

Purpose A quantitative study sought to better understand responsible leadership (RL) style in the private security sector. The authors analyzed RL’s mediating role in the relationship between rules climate (RC) and employees' perceived organizational support (POS). Design/methodology/approach The data were collected through an online questionnaire administered to full-time private guards in Ankara (Turkey). A mediation model was proposed, and research hypotheses were tested with structural equation modeling (SEM). Findings The results indicate a significant positive relationship between the company’s RC and managers' RL, and a positive significant relationship between managers' RL and employees' POS. RL mediates the relationship between company’s RC and employees' POS. Research limitations/implications The theoretical framework draws on conservation of resources (COR) theory to consider RL an effective resource. The organization’s RC was a key factor the affecting leader’s responsible behaviors. Originality/value This study explores a thriving leadership style, gaining research attention across fields. To the authors' knowledge, no prior research has studied this leadership style in the security sector. The authors use COR to increase understanding of an important antecedent (company’s RC) and consequence (employees' POS) of RL, highlighting this emerging style’s mediating role.