Paternalistic Leadership and Organizational Identification: The Mediating Role of Forgiveness Climate

ABSTRACT This study aimed to investigate the relationships among paternalistic leadership, forgiveness climate and organizational identification. A survey questionnaire was used to collect data from different level managers and employees working in tourist hotels in Bodrum peninsula, Turkey. The results indicate that moral and benevolent dimensions of paternalistic leadership directly impact on forgiveness climate, and only one paternalistic leadership dimension (benevolent) and forgiveness climate had impact on organizational identification. Also, this study investigates the mediating effect of forgiveness climate in the relationships between paternalistic leadership and organizational identification. Findings show that forgiveness climate mediates both moral and benevolent dimensions of paternalistic leadership and organizational identification. This study contributes to a better understanding of the roles of forgiveness climate in the hotel industry.