Explaining the Mediating Role of Professional Ethics in the Relationship between Organizational Ethics Climate and Cyber Loafing of Academic Staff

Paying attention to ethics in organizations is very important. Therefore the present study aimed to elucidate the mediating role of professional ethics in the relationship between organizational ethics and cyber loafing.

Methodology of the research in terms of the main strategy, was quantitative, in terms of the strategy, was field, and in terms of analytical, was descriptive-correlation technique. The statistical population of this study included all staff of Universities affiliated with the Ministry of Science at four levels of international, national, regional and local levels of performance across the country. The research data were collected from 430 staff members who were selected by multi-stage cluster sampling method. The sample size according to the Kregci-Morgan model and with error α = 0/05, was considered 430 persons. To collect data Cyber Loafing Questionnaire of Bella et al (2006) (α=0/89), Professional Ethics Questionnaire of Yazdan Seta and Asadi (2016) (α=0.79) and Organizational Ethical Climate Questionnaire of Victor and Cullen (1988) (α=0.80) was used. Validity of the tools was confirmed by the professors of education and psychology. Data were analyzed using two software’s SPSS 22 and lisrel. 8/50 and analyzed by structural equation modeling.

The results showed that the proposed model had suitable fit (x2/df=2/95, GFI=0/93, AGFI=0/92, CFI=0/91, NFI=0/93, RMSEA=0/81) and the component of Organizational Ethical Climate has a direct and indirect effect through the component of Professional Ethics on Cyber Loafing (P<0/05). Ethical Considerations: After explaining the purpose of the research, verbal consent was obtained from the participants.

The organizational ethic climate and professional ethics leads to a reduction in cyber loafing behavior of employees. Therefore, it is necessary to pay attention to these components and their effects on the organization of human resource behavior.