ETHICAL DECISION-MAKING AND EMPLOYEE COMMITMENT IN THE RIVERS STATE CIVIL SERVICE

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between ethical decision-making and employee commitment in the Rivers State Civil Service, focusing on utilitarian, deontological, and virtue-based ethical frameworks. A correlational research design was adopted, and data were collected using a structured questionnaire administered to civil servants across ministries. The correlation analysis revealed significant positive relationships between the three dimensions of ethical decision-making and employee commitment, with utilitarian ethics showing the strongest influence (r = 0.614, p < 0.01), followed by deontological ethics (r = 0.547, p < 0.01), and virtue-based ethics (r = 0.521, p < 0.01). These results suggest that ethical decision-making enhances employees’ loyalty, trust, and dedication to the civil service. The study concludes that ethical leadership is a critical determinant of organizational commitment. It recommends that leaders adopt fairness-driven (utilitarian), duty-based (deontological), and virtue-oriented decision-making approaches, while also institutionalizing an ethical leadership framework that integrates all three ethical perspectives.