Leader behavioural integrity and Vietnamese public servants’ moral voice: Does person-organisation fit matter?

Abstract

This research offers a novel investigation into the relationship between leader Behavioural Integrity (BI) and Moral Voice (MV) within the Vietnamese public sector. This area remains insufficiently examined in the current academic discourse. The study focuses on the mediating function of Basic Need Satisfaction (BNS) and the moderating influence of Person-Organisation Fit (POF). By addressing how BNS and POF shape MV through these mechanisms, the study fills a critical gap in the literature. Grounded in Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and employing Structural Equation Modelling (SEM), data were collected from 324 public officials in Tien Giang Province, Vietnam, using a cluster sampling approach. The findings indicate that BI has a positive and significant effect on MV, with BNS playing a partial mediating role. Notably, the research also highlights the moderating impact of POF in the BI-MV dynamic. The study’s value lies in its integrated analysis of BNS and POF, offering both theoretical contributions to leadership scholarship and actionable implications for fostering ethical behaviour and moral assertiveness in public sector organisations.