How does organizational culture affect emotional commitment? The mediating role of moral identity in employees

How does organizational culture affect emotional commitment? 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The mediating role of moral identity in employees Adnan KÜÇÜKALİ, Murat BAŞ, Sinan TARSUSLU, Göknur ERSARI TAŞKESEN This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8475742/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Organizational structures and organizational culture in the healthcare sector directly affect employee emotional commitment levels, as well as patient satisfaction and service quality. Furthermore, moral identity shapes organizational processes by determining how individuals reflect their ethical values in organizational life. Against this background, this study aims to examine the effect of organizational culture on the emotional commitment levels of healthcare workers and to reveal the potential mediating role of moral identity in this effect. The study was conducted using a cross-sectional design on healthcare workers employed at a 700-bed teaching and research hospital in the Black Sea Region. Data were collected via a questionnaire from 489 participants using simple random sampling and, additionally, the snowball approach. Evaluation of the obtained data revealed a positive and significant relationship between organizational culture and emotional commitment. Moral identity was also observed to exhibit a statistically strong relationship with both variables. Furthermore, it was found that moral identity plays a partial mediating role in the effect of organizational culture on emotional commitment. Ultimately, the findings emphasize the critical role of organizational culture in creating emotional commitment among healthcare workers. Moral identity emerges as a factor that reinforces this effect and shows that employees who exhibit attitudes consistent with the ethical climate of the institution develop greater commitment. Organizational culture emotional commitment moral identity healthcare workers Figures Figure 1 Figure 2 Introduction Organizational commitment refers to how psychologically attached an employee is to their workplace. Meyer and Allen ( 1991 ) stated that employees can be attached to their workplace in three ways: normative, continuance, and affective. This study examines employees' affective commitment. This is because one of the important factors affecting the success and continuity of organizations is the affective commitment of employees to the organization (Hamidi et al., 2024 ). Emotional commitment is when employees make extra efforts for the organization's interests and behave in accordance with the organization's wishes (Derelioğlu, 2024 ). Especially in the healthcare sector, high employee commitment increases productivity and performance while ensuring the provision of higher quality healthcare services to patients (Kourkouni et al., 2025 ). In the literature, the alignment of individual values with organizational values is seen as an important determinant of this commitment (Tamer et al., 2022 ). Organizational culture, as the set of shared norms, beliefs, and values within an organization, is an important environmental factor that influences individuals' commitment to the organization (Schein, 2010 ). On the other hand, moral identity, an individual value, is another factor that affects emotional commitment. Moral identity refers to an individual's possession of ethical values and placing these values at the center of their self-perception (Aquino & Reed, 2002 ). Individuals with high moral identity feel more meaningful and valuable in an ethical value-based organizational culture. Employees with high moral identity are more satisfied with ethical leaders or management, and their sense of commitment to the organization increases (Mayer et al., 2009 ). Therefore, a culture based on ethical values, transparency, and support can strengthen employees' sense of belonging and increase their emotional commitment, with the employee's moral identity playing a mediating role in this relationship. Moral identity is the degree to which an individual identifies themselves as a moral person. If individuals within an organization identify themselves as possessing moral identity, they will exhibit ethical behavior (Matherne & Litchfield, 2012 ). If individuals believe that universally accepted virtuous behaviors such as being honest, compassionate, fair, helpful, and generous play an important role in defining their personal identity, they are considered to have a strong moral identity (Jia, Krettenauer, & Li, 2019 ). Therefore, moral identity plays an important role in both individuals' personal and professional lives and contributes to the development of their positive attitudes. Furthermore, it is critically important for organizations to develop a culture that supports ethical behavior, both for the success of employees and the organization (Çelik et al., 2023 ). In this context, organizational managers creating a culture based on ethical values can increase both the emergence of employees' moral identities and their commitment to the organization. The cultural structure of society shapes what individuals consider ethical and unethical. In other words, the cultural structure of society will influence the ethical identity that individuals define for themselves (Jia, Krettenauer, & Li, 2019 ). Although it is accepted in the existing literature that understandings of ethics and moral identity are influenced by culture, how culture shape’s moral identity has not been studied extensively (AlSheddi, Russell & Hegarty, 2020 ). Culture is seen as a manageable and changeable competitive advantage. The belief that organizational culture can affect job performance, competitiveness, efficiency, and effectiveness, and the idea that increasing employee commitment improves job performance, has led academics to research these topics (Carvalho et al., 2018 ). Within the scope of this research, the mediating role of moral identity in the effect of organizational culture on emotional commitment was examined. This research was developed based on the questions, "Does the cultural structure of the organization affect employee emotional commitment?" and "How does culture shape the moral identity of employees?" A review of the existing literature revealed that the understanding of moral identity is influenced by culture, but it was noted that this topic has not been explored extensively (AlSheddi, Russell & Hegarty, 2020 ). Moral identity shapes organizational processes by determining how individuals reflect their ethical values in organizational life. The cultural structure in the healthcare sector can have a direct impact on employees' levels of emotional commitment, patient satisfaction, and service quality. In this context, this study aims to reveal the effect of organizational culture on the levels of emotional commitment of healthcare workers and the potential mediating role of moral identity in this effect. Theoretical framework and hypotheses According to Cameron and Quinn ( 1999 ), an organization's culture reflects the things it values, leadership styles, language and symbols, procedures and routines, and the definitions of success that constitute a single organization. According to these authors, culture represents a set of perceptions, memories, values, attitudes, and definitions that are created by consensus and are therefore accepted by everyone. Emotional commitment, on the other hand, is the employee's willingness to contribute voluntarily to the betterment of the organization (Dunger, 2023 ). Organizational culture is a fundamental factor that strengthens employees' emotional commitment to the organization. Research shows that organizational culture increases employees' sense of belonging to the organization, their adoption of organizational goals, and their desire to remain in the organization through its values, norms, and management style (Jehanzeb & Bashir, 2025 ; Alshuhumi et al., 2024 ). In this context, employees who embrace organizational culture will have increased emotional commitment. For example, in their research, Carvalho, et al. ( 2018 ) stated that there is a positive relationship between organizational culture and emotional commitment. Dunger ( 2023 ) stated that organizational culture has an effect on organizational commitment as a result of his research conducted in Germany. Therefore, it is predicted that organizational culture will increase emotional commitment within the scope of this research. Based on this information, the first hypothesis was developed. H1 Organizational culture positively affects the emotional commitment of healthcare workers. According to Schein ( 2010 ), organizational culture is a set of shared assumptions, values, and beliefs that form the deep structure of an organization. This culture, which guides employees' attitudes and behaviors, can play a decisive role in individuals' adoption of ethical values. According to Aquino and Reed ( 2002 ), moral identity is an individual's perception of themselves as a "person who holds moral values." This identity can influence an individual's motivation to behave ethically and their psychological connection to the organization. For example, AlSheddi et al. ( 2020 ) noted in their comparative study of Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom that cultural differences affect the definition of moral identity. According to Lee (2020), a strong organizational culture with ethical values can strengthen employees' moral identity and enable them to exhibit ethical behavior. Therefore, organizational culture can play a critical role in shaping employees' moral identity and the emergence of their moral behavior. In light of this information, the following second hypothesis has been developed. H2 Organizational culture positively affects healthcare workers' perception of moral identity. Individuals with a strong moral identity tend to use positive emotions and expressions when defining themselves and explaining their behavior in social life. (Akdoğan et al., 2020 ). Moral identity facilitates the employee's identification with the organization by enabling the individual to adopt the organizational identity, and this strengthens emotional commitment (O'Keefe et al., 2019 ). For example, Tamer et al. ( 2022 ) showed in their research that individuals who possess individual values, i.e., who act for the benefit of their organization, have increased emotional commitment to the organization they work for. Therefore, it is thought that organizational culture and moral identity affect emotional commitment. Emotional commitment relates to an individual's intention to voluntarily continue working for the organization (Meyer and Allen 1991 ). Emotional commitment expresses the employee's emotional commitment to the organization, their identification with it, and their participation in it. In this dimension, the employee remains loyal to the organization with a sense of loyalty and belonging (Carvalho et al., 2018 ). Therefore, an ethical and supportive work environment can increase emotional commitment. Based on this information, the following hypothesis has been developed. H3 Ethical identity positively influences healthcare workers' emotional commitment. One way to ensure sustainable organizational success is to increase employees' emotional commitment. In this context, the psychological and cultural factors that influence employees' emotional ties to the organization have been the focus of academic research. Organizational culture, in particular, is a fundamental factor that shapes employees' perception of values and, in this way, influences their attitudes toward the organization (Schein, 2010 ). A culture based on ethical values contributes to the development of individuals' moral identity by enabling them to find meaning in their roles within the organization (Aquino & Reed, 2002 ). This developing moral identity can strengthen the employee's emotional commitment to the organization (O'Keefe et al., 2019 ). This study examines the mediating role of moral identity in the effect of organizational culture on emotional commitment. In plain terms, organizational culture can affect emotional commitment both directly and indirectly through the mediation of moral identity. In light of this information, the following hypothesis has been developed. H4 Moral identity plays a mediating role in the effect of organizational culture on the emotional commitment of healthcare workers. Method This section details the design and purpose of the research and provides information on the process of determining the population and sample. In addition, the data collection tools and data analysis methods are explained, presenting the methodological framework of the study in a comprehensive manner. Research Design This study was designed as cross-sectional research aiming to examine the effect of organizational culture on the emotional commitment of healthcare workers and to reveal the possible mediating role of moral identity in this relationship. Furthermore, a descriptive and exploratory approach was adopted in the research. In the data collection process, data were obtained through a survey from healthcare workers in different branches working in public health institutions. The questionnaire form included validated scales designed to measure perceptions of organizational culture (independent variable), emotional commitment (dependent variable), and moral identity (mediating variable). Research objective and problem The healthcare sector is an area that can cause high levels of stress on employees due to its intense work pace and the need for direct contact with people. This situation makes the role of organizational culture in shaping the emotional commitment of healthcare workers even more important. The values, norms, and practices shared by the institution can directly affect employees' sense of belonging and motivation in the workplace. Based on these reasons, it is observed that there are limited comprehensive studies examining the effect of organizational culture on emotional commitment, particularly in Turkish healthcare institutions, and investigating the mediating role of moral identity in this process. This study aims to examine the effect of organizational culture on the emotional commitment of healthcare workers and to reveal the mediating role of moral identity in this relationship. This is intended to contribute to the understanding of critical issues in the healthcare sector, such as employee satisfaction, morale, fulfillment, commitment level, and organizational efficiency. Ultimately, the research results also aim to provide important information and recommendations on how healthcare institutions can develop strategies to improve their organizational culture and how to create a work environment that strengthens employees' moral identity. Research population and sample Within the scope of this study, healthcare personnel working at an education and research hospital with a capacity of 700 beds operating in the Black Sea Region were determined as the population. According to data obtained from the hospital records, it was determined that a total of 1,147 healthcare personnel were working at this institution. G*Power (version 3.1.7) software was used to determine the sample size of the study. In regression analysis, considering an effect size of 0.05, a significance level (α) of 0.01, a statistical power (1–β) of 0.95, and three predictor variables, it was determined that at least 319 participants were required. A simple random sampling method was adopted in the data collection process. Initially, 400 printed questionnaire forms were distributed to hospital staff. Additionally, the online version of the questionnaire and a digital information form were shared via the institution's email system and social media platforms (WhatsApp). Furthermore, within the framework of the snowball sampling approach, participants were asked to share the questionnaire link with their colleagues to increase participation. At the end of this process, a total of 517 survey forms were returned. However, 28 forms were excluded from the evaluation because they contained incomplete or incorrect answers. Thus, 489 fully completed survey forms were included in the statistical analysis. Ultimately, when the entire population was considered, the participation rate was determined to be approximately 58.3%. Data collection tools The data collection tool in this study consisted of four main sections. The first section included demographic information about the participants' age, gender, marital status, professional seniority, and education level. The second section used a scale designed to measure organizational culture, the third section measured ethical identity, and the fourth section measured emotional commitment levels. In all scales, participants responded using a five-point Likert-type rating system ranging from "1: Strongly Disagree" to "5: Strongly Agree." Organizational culture scale: The organizational culture scale developed by Cameron and Quinn ( 1999 ) and validated and reliability tested by Karakılıç ( 2019 ) was used to measure individuals' perceptions of organizational culture. The scale consists of a total of 16 items and four sub-dimensions. Finally, the Cronbach's alpha value for the adapted form of the scale was determined to be 0.96 for the scale as a whole. Moral identity scale: The moral identity scale developed by Aquino and Reed ( 2002 ) and adapted into Turkish by Yılmaz and Yılmaz ( 2015 ) was used to measure employees' perceptions of moral identity. The scale consists of ten items and two dimensions. Finally, in the adapted form of the scale, Cronbach's alpha values of 0.77 and 0.76 were determined for the internalization dimension and the symbolization dimension, respectively. Emotional commitment scale: The emotional commitment dimension, which is a sub-dimension of the organizational commitment scale developed by Meyer, Allen, and Smith ( 1993 ) and adapted into Turkish by Dağlı, Elçiçek, and Han ( 2018 ), was used to measure the commitment of healthcare workers. The scale consists of six items. Finally, the Cronbach's alpha value of the adapted form of the scale was found to be 0.80. Ethical aspects of the study Approval for this study was obtained from the Erzincan Binali Yıldırım University Human Research Ethics Committee (E-88012460-050.01.04-265056). Participants' voluntary participation was ensured through an informed consent form, and written permission was also obtained from the provincial health directorate to which the hospital where the data was collected belongs. Analysis Methods AMOS 22, SPSS 24 applications, and the SPSS MACRO add-on were used to analyze the research data. First, frequency analyses were performed to determine the demographic characteristics of healthcare workers. Then, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was applied using the AMOS 22 program to test the validity of the measurement tools. After the validity analyses, reliability analyses were performed using Cronbach Alpha via SPSS 24. After completing the validity and reliability analyses of the measurement tools, the correlation coefficients between the scales were examined to test the designed hypotheses. In the final stage, Hayes' (2013) SPSS MACRO analysis program was used to examine the mediating role of moral identity level by selecting Model 4. Findings This section of the study presents the participants' demographic results, the reliability and validity analyses of the measurement tools, the correlation coefficients, and the mediation analyses. Demographic results of healthcare workers In this section, the demographic data of healthcare workers (age, gender, and education level) were examined and interpreted through frequency analyses. Table 1 Statistical results for demographic information n: 489 n % Gender Male 200 40,9 Female 289 59,1 Age 18–28 years old 215 43,9 29–39 years old 155 31,7 40–50 years old 79 15,9 51 years and older 40 8,5 Education level Associate degree 67 13,7 Bachelor's degree 371 75,9 Graduate 51 10,4 N = 489; %: Percentage When evaluating the demographic findings of healthcare workers, 40.9% of participants (200 people) were male and 59.1% (289 people) were female. When examining their ages, 215 workers (43.9%) were between 18 and 28 years old, 155 employees (31.7%) were aged 29–39, 79 employees (15.9%) were aged 40–50, and 40 employees (8.5%) were aged 51 and above. Finally, when evaluated by educational level, 67 healthcare workers (13.7%) were associate degree graduates, 371 (75.9%) have a bachelor's degree, and 51 (10.4%) have postgraduate education. Measurement models At this stage, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed to test the construct validity of the variables (organizational culture, moral identity, and emotional commitment) included in the research model based on the theoretical framework. During this analysis process, the risk of "common method variance" emphasized by Podsakoff et al. ( 2003 ) and Lindell and Whitney ( 2001 ) was also evaluated. Since systematic error sources may arise when the same participant answers multiple scales in the same time period, Harman's single factor test was also applied. This test examines how much of the obtained variance can be explained by a single factor. If a single factor explains more than 50% of the total variance, common method bias is considered a significant problem (MacKenzie and Podsakoff, 2012 ). However, the analysis revealed that the single factor explained approximately 45% of the variance. This ratio being below 50% indicates that method bias is low and that the validity of the measurement tools used is preserved (Kline, 2016 ; Byrne, 2016 ). Finally, the DFA results applied to evaluate the construct validity of the variables and the model's fit with the data in more detail are presented in Table 2 . This table shows the fit indices of the four-factor measurement model as well as different alternative models (Model 1, Model 2, Model 3). Table 2 Fit indices for the measurement model and alternative models Models CMIN(χ2) DF χ2/df RMSEA CFI TLI SRMR Research Model 897.64 699 1.28 0.02 0.98 0.98 0.02 Model 1 2495.56 701 3.56 0.05 0.93 0.93 0.04 Model 2 3060.72 702 4,36 0.10 0.86 0.84 0.09 Model 3 3859.47 703 5.49 0.12 0.84 0.83 0.11 N = 489; χ2/df = Chi-Square Goodness-of-Fit Test; RMSEA = Root Mean Square Error of Approximation; CFI = Comparative Fit Index; TLI = Tucker-Lewis Index; SRMR = Standardized Root Mean Square Residual Table 2 shows the confirmatory factor analysis results, the research model, and the fit indices of the alternative models. Each fit measure was used to assess how well the models fit the data. Table 2 shows that the study's three-factor measurement model (organizational culture, moral identity, and emotional commitment) had better fit values than the three different alternative models developed (Model 1, Model 2, Model 3). The obtained goodness-of-fit values (χ2/df = 1.28 RMSEA = 0.02; CFI = 0.98; TLI = 0.98; SRMR = 0.02) are within the accepted ranges (Mishra and Datta, 2011 ; Gürbüz, 2019 ). According to the table results, the research model shows the best fit indices when compared to other models. Correlation and reliability analyses Table 3 examines the mean, standard deviation, Cronbach's Alpha, and correlation analysis results for the three main variables (organizational culture, moral identity, emotional commitment). Table 3 Correlation and reliability findings for the scales x̄ S.D OC MI EA α Organizational Culture (OC) 3.05 0.57 - 0.95 Moral Identity (MI) 3.05 0.59 0.89 - 0.89 Emotional Commitment (EC) 3.08 0.63 0.86 0.83 - 0.83 N = 489; S.D: Standart sapma; \(\:\stackrel{-}{x}:\) Ortalama Correlation coefficients in Table 3 are used to evaluate the relationship between variables. A coefficient above 0.30 indicates a moderate relationship, while 0.50 and above indicates a high relationship (Cohen, 1988 ). There is a positive and high (r = 0.89, p < 0.01) relationship between organizational culture and moral identity. This shows that as the perception of organizational culture increases, the perception of moral identity also increases. The second finding in Table 3 is that a positive correlation (r = 0.86, p < 0.01) was found between organizational culture and emotional commitment. This finding shows that organizational culture can be effective on the emotional commitment levels of employees. The final finding regarding the correlations in the table is the correlation coefficient between moral identity and emotional commitment (r = 0.83, p < 0.01), which also reveals a positive and strong relationship between the two variables. Cronbach's Alpha coefficient assesses the internal consistency and reliability of each construct, and a value above 0.70 indicates acceptable reliability (Nunnally, 1978 ). Cronbach's Alpha values for all variables (0.95 for OC, 0.89 for MI, and 0.83 for EC) are above 0.70, indicating high internal consistency. The findings reveal that the scales used in the study are reliable and that the relationships between organizational culture, moral identity, and emotional commitment are strong and positive. Hypothesis tests The stage of testing the hypotheses has been reached within the framework of the correlation analysis and confirmatory factor analysis results between the scales belonging to the research. In this stage, a process was followed in which two separate models were analyzed to test the hypotheses. In the hypothesis testing phase of the research, regression analysis results were first examined to reveal the effects between variables. In this process, the effects of organizational culture on emotional commitment, organizational culture on moral identity, and moral identity on emotional commitment were identified through regression analyses. In the subsequent stage, the bootstrapping method proposed by Preacher and Hayes ( 2004 ) was used to analyze the mediating effect (questioning the mediating role of moral identity in the effect of organizational culture on emotional commitment). Table 4 Regression results related to the mediating effect Moral Identity (MI) Variables β SE T P LLCI ULCI Organizational Culture (OC) 0.95 0.02 50.18 0.000 0.91 0.99 Emotional Commitment (EC) Variables β SE T P LLCI ULCI Moral Identity (MI) 0.30 0.06 5.36 0.000 0.19 0.42 Organizational Culture (OC) (Direct Effect) 0.67 0.06 11.39 0.000 0.56 0.79 Organizational Culture (OC) (Total Effect) 0.96 0.02 39.37 0.000 0.91 1.01 Indirect Effect β SE LLCI ULCI 0.29 0.05 0.56 0.79 Note. N = 489; LLCI = lower limit; ULCI = upper limit According to the regression analysis results obtained in Table 3 , the direct effect of organizational culture on emotional commitment is significant (β = 0.67, p < 0.001). Confidence intervals (LLCI = 0.56, ULCI = 0.79) also confirm the reliability of this effect. This indicates that an increase in organizational culture directly affects the level of emotional commitment. This result supports the acceptance of H1 hypothesis. According to the second finding in the table, the effect of organizational culture on moral identity is significant (β = 0.95, p < 0.001). Confidence intervals (LLCI = 0.91, ULCI = 0.99) also indicate that this effect is reliable. Based on this result, it can be said that a positive increase in organizational culture has a direct effect on employees' moral identity. Based on this result, it can be stated that hypothesis H2 is accepted. Furthermore, when the effect of moral identity on emotional commitment was examined, this effect was also found to be significant (β = 0.30, p < 0.001). Confidence intervals (LLCI = 0.19, ULCI = 0.42) also indicate that this effect is reliable. According to this result, it can be stated that employees' positive moral identity perceptions directly affect their emotional commitment. This result also indicates that hypothesis H3 is accepted. Finally, based on the statistical effects found between the three variables and since it also complies with Baron and Kenny's (1986) mediation model conditions, it is possible to question the mediation effect. According to the final finding in Table 3 , the indirect effect (i.e., OC → MI → EC path) was calculated as β = 0.29, SE = 0.05, and the confidence intervals (LLCI = 0.56, ULCI = 0.79) indicate that this effect is statistically significant. According to Baron and Kenny's (1986) mediation criteria, these findings indicate partial mediation (MacKinnon et al., 2002 ; Shrout and Bolger, 2002 ). In summary, it can be stated that moral identity plays a mediating role in the effect of organizational culture on emotional commitment. Based on these results, it can be stated that H4 hypothesis is also accepted. According to Fig. 2 , while organizational culture significantly affects employees' moral identity (β = 0.95), moral identity also significantly increases emotional commitment (β = 0.30). The direct effect of organizational culture on emotional commitment (β = 0.67) and its total effect (β = 0.96) are also statistically significant. In conclusion, moral identity acts as a partial mediator in the relationship between organizational culture and emotional commitment. Ultimately, these results show that the perception of organizational culture nurtures moral identity in employees, thereby increasing their emotional commitment to the organization. Discussion This study has shown that moral identity plays a partial mediating role in the effect of organizational culture in the healthcare sector on employees' emotional commitment. The findings indicate that organizational culture has a positive effect on employees and that employees who embrace organizational culture are more emotionally committed to their workplace. However, it has been determined that moral identity partially mediates the relationship between organizational culture and emotional commitment. Therefore, based on this result, we can say that organizational culture increases emotional commitment by supporting the individual's moral identity. The findings of this study support the hypotheses and present results parallel to some studies in the literature. This study suggests that moral identity may play a mediating role in the relationship between organizational culture and emotional commitment. According to the first hypothesis of the study, it was found that organizational culture positively affects the emotional commitment of healthcare workers. In other words, employees who embrace organizational culture have increased emotional commitment. This result obtained in the study is similar to many studies in the literature. For example, Carvalho et al. ( 2018 ) stated in their research that there is a positive relationship between organizational culture and emotional commitment. Similarly, Dunger ( 2023 ) showed in his research conducted in Germany that organizational culture has an effect on organizational commitment. The findings of these studies support the results of our study. In conclusion, it can be said that the emotional commitment of healthcare workers who embrace organizational culture increases. According to the second hypothesis of the study, it was found that organizational culture positively affects healthcare workers' perception of moral identity. In other words, it was understood that employees who embrace organizational culture will exhibit more ethical and moral behavior due to this effect. Therefore, it can be said that organizational culture increases moral identity. This result of the study is supported by some studies in the literature. For example, AlSheddi et al. ( 2020 ) stated in their comparative study between Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom that cultural differences affect moral identity definitions. The findings of these studies are similar to the results of our study. In conclusion, it can be said that healthcare workers who embrace organizational culture will exhibit ethical behavior within the organization. In other words, organizational culture can increase moral identity. According to the third hypothesis of the study, it was found that moral identity positively affects the emotional commitment of healthcare workers. In other words, employees with a high perception of moral identity have increased emotional commitment to the organization. Therefore, it can be said that moral identity increases emotional commitment. The result of this study is similar to some studies in the literature. For example, the results of the research by Hamidi et al. ( 2024 ) showed that the relationship between nurses' organizational identity and commitment in the healthcare sector increases quality. In their research, Tamer et al. ( 2022 ) showed that individuals who have individual values, i.e., who act for the benefit of their institution, have increased emotional commitment to the organization they work for. The findings of these studies are consistent with the results of our study. Consequently, healthcare workers with a high sense of moral identity will also have high emotional commitment. According to the fourth hypothesis of the study, it was determined that moral identity plays a partial mediating role in the relationship between organizational culture and emotional commitment. In short, it was found that organizational culture in the healthcare sector increases employee emotional commitment through moral identity. The results of the study reveal findings similar to some previous studies. For example, according to Kourkouni et al. ( 2025 ), nurses' organizational commitment was found to be related to ethical leadership and organizational culture. The results of this study support our research. In other words, ethical leadership increases emotional commitment, which is one of the dimensions of organizational commitment, and increases emotional commitment in organizational culture. Our research has shown that moral identity may play a partial mediating role in the relationship between organizational culture and emotional commitment, and the studies mentioned above support our findings. In conclusion, healthcare workers' adoption of organizational culture increases their emotional commitment, and the perception of moral identity further supports this relationship. Furthermore, the adoption of organizational culture by employees has been shown to lead to their effective and ethical behavior. It has been understood that both organizational culture and moral identity increase emotional commitment to the organization. Recommendations for healthcare workers It is important for healthcare institutions to implement policies aimed at developing organizational culture in a systematic and transparent manner in order to strengthen employees' emotional commitment. In particular, the effective use of leadership styles and internal communication channels can increase the sense of participation in the process by allowing the experiences and expectations of employees to be evaluated at regular intervals. In this regard, it is thought that managers adopting an ethical and transparent management approach can increase the trust employees have in the organization and positively influence the reflection of the perception of ethical identity in organizational processes. Furthermore, supporting teamwork that encourages cooperation among employees can contribute to the formation of a more participatory and shared organizational culture, thereby strengthening employees' sense of belonging to the organization. Finally, increasing professional training opportunities and employing individuals in roles suited to their areas of expertise may be beneficial in enhancing both employees' professional development and their level of emotional commitment. Conclusion This study aimed to reveal the effect of organizational culture on the emotional commitment of healthcare workers and the mediating role of moral identity in this process. The findings show that organizational culture directly affects both moral identity and emotional commitment, and that moral identity plays a partial mediating role in this relationship. It can be said that, especially in the healthcare sector, despite intense and stressful working conditions, the norms and values shared within the organization foster a stronger sense of moral identity among employees, which in turn increases their emotional commitment to the organization. Organizational practices, leadership attitudes, and work environment regulations that create a climate in which healthcare workers can express themselves morally can positively affect organizational and emotional commitment. In this context, it is important to address improvements in organizational culture and policies that support moral identity together in managerial practices. Limitations of the study and suggestions for future research Since this study was conducted using a cross-sectional design, it is difficult to draw definitive conclusions regarding cause-and-effect relationships. Similarly, as the study relied on self-reports from participating healthcare workers, the data obtained may have certain limitations in terms of criterion validity (Podsakoff et al., 2003 ). While the questionnaire method used in the study has the advantage of reflecting individuals' own perceptions, it cannot completely eliminate the risk of common method bias (MacKenzie & Podsakoff, 2012 ). Although various methods have been applied to reduce common method variance against these risks (e.g., Harman's single-factor test), the fact that the data were collected at the same time and through self-reporting means that there is still a potential for bias in the study. Furthermore, the study is limited to a sample of healthcare workers from a teaching and research hospital operating in a specific geographical region. This situation may limit the possibility of generalization, even in similar types of hospitals, considering different regional or institutional cultural characteristics. Therefore, findings obtained in a single sector or institutional context need to be tested in future studies to determine whether they yield the same results in different cultural and institutional environments. In this regard, findings obtained from different socio-cultural contexts or different sectors in future research will enrich the results of this study and increase its generalizability. Furthermore, the use of longitudinal or experimental designs may reveal the dynamics between organizational culture and moral identity more clearly. Finally, the inclusion of additional variables such as leadership styles, organizational justice, organizational trust, job satisfaction, job stress, organizational citizenship, organizational support, and social support may also allow for a comprehensive assessment of attitudes and behaviors within the organization. Declarations Conflict of Interest Statement The researchers declare that there is no conflict of interest between any institution or individuals. Funding information This research was not conducted with funding support from any organization. Author Contribution This article has four authors. All stages of the article were designed and written by the authors in equal proportion.Research idea: MB- GET-ST-AKDesign of the study: MB- GET- STAcquisition of data for the study: MB- GET- ST- AKAnalysis of data for the study: MB- GET- ST- AKInterpretation of data for the study: MB- GET- STDrafting the manuscript: MB- GET- ST- AKRevising it critically for important intellectual content: MB- GET- STFinal approval of the version to be published: MB- GET – ST- AK Acknowledgements We would like to thank all healthcare workers who voluntarily participated in the study despite their demanding work conditions. References Akdoğan AA, Cingöz A, Köksal O. Ahlakî Kimlik Algısı, Bağlamsal Performans ve Örgütsel Özdeşleşme Arasındaki İlişkileri Belirlemeye Yönelik Bir Çalışma. Bus Manage Studies: Int J. 2020;8(4):50–68. AlSheddi M, Russell S, Hegarty P. How does culture shape our moral identity? Moral foundations in Saudi Arabia and Britain. Eur J Social Psychol. 2020;50(1):97–110. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.2619 . Alshuhumi SR, Al-Hidabi DA, Al-Refaei AAA. Unveiling the behavioral nexus of innovative organizational culture: Identification and affective commitment of teachers in primary schools. J Hum Behav Social Environ. 2024;34(1):130–52. Aquino K, Reed II, A. The self-importance of moral identity. J Personal Soc Psychol. 2002;83(6):1423–40. 10.1037//0022-3514.83.6.1423 . Baron RM, Kenny DA. The moderator-mediator variable distinction in social psychological research: Conceptual, strategic, and statistical considerations. J Personal Soc Psychol. 1986;51(6):1173–82. Byrne BM. Structural equation modeling with AMOS: Basic concepts, applications, and programming. 3rd ed. Routledge; 2016. Cameron KS, Quinn RE. Diagnosing and changing organizational culture: based on the competing values framework. Addison-Wesley Publishing; 1999. Carvalho CRSP, Castro MAR, Silva LP, Carvalho LOP. The relationship between organizational culture, organizational commitment and job satisfaction. Rebrae. 2018;11(2):201–15. Cohen J. Statistical Power Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences. 2nd ed. Routledge Academic; 1988. Çelik GG, Taşkıran E, Öngel G. Etik liderliğin bilgi uçurma eğilimi üzerindeki etkisi: ahlaki kimlik ve güç mesafesi yöneliminin rolü. J Res Bus. 2023;8(1):225–53. Dağlı A, Elçiçek Z, Han B. Örgütsel Bağlılık Ölçeği'nin Türkçeye Uyarlanması: Geçerlik ve Güvenirlik Çalışması. Electron J Social Sci. 2018;17:68. Derelioğlu S. Duygusal bağlılık ile işten ayrılma niyeti ilişkisinde, aşırı iş yükünün düzenleyici etkisi: Belediye personeli üzerine bir araştırma. Ordu Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Sosyal Bilimler Araştırmaları Dergisi. 2024;14(3):801–14. Dunger S. Culture meets commitment: how organizational culture influences affective commitment. Int J Organ Theory Behav. 2023;26(1/2):41–60. Gürbüz S. Sosyal Bilimlerde Aracı, Düzenleyici ve Durumsal Etki Analizleri. Ankara: Seçkin Yayıncılık; 2019. Hamidi R, Barari R, Sahebdel F, Bayat F. Evaluating the model of causal relations between organizational identity and organizational commitment in hospital nursing staff through the mediation of organizational culture. Empl Responsibilities Rights J. 2024;36(1):79–100. Hayes AF. Introduction to mediation, moderation, and conditional process analysis: A regression-based approach. Guilford Press; 2013. Jehanzeb K, Bashir NA. Does Psychological Contract Fulfillment Mediate the Relationship Between Organizational Culture and Affective Commitment? Leader-Member Exchange as Moderator. SAGE Open. 2025;15(1):21582440251328705. Jia F, Krettenauer Tve, Li L. Kültürel bağlamda ahlaki kimlik: Kanadalı ve Çinli üniversite öğrencileri arasındaki farklılıklar. Ahlaki Eğitim Dergisi. 2019;48(2):247–62. Karakılıç NY. Cameron ve Quinn örgüt kültürü ölçeğinin güvenirlik ve geçerliğinin test edilmesi. Afyon Kocatepe Üniversitesi İktisadi ve İdari. Bilimler Fakültesi Dergisi. 2019;21(1):19–30. Kline RB. Principles and practice of structural equation modeling. 4th ed. Guilford Press; 2016. Kourkouni V, Galanis P, Athanasakis K, Igoumenidis M, Galanis Sr P. (2025). Impact of Ethical Leadership and Organizational Culture on Nursing Personnel's Organizational Commitment: A Cross-Sectional Study. Cureus, 17(6). Lindell MK, Whitney DJ. Accounting for common method variance in cross-sectional research designs. J Appl Psychol. 2001;86(1):114. MacKinnon DP, Lockwood CM, Hoffman JM, West SG, Sheets V. A comparison of methods to test mediation and other intervening variable effects. Psychol Methods. 2002;7(1):83–104. MacKenzie SB, Podsakoff PM. Common Method Bias in Marketing: Causes, Mechanisms, and Procedural Remedies. J Retail. 2012;88(4):542–55. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretai.2012.08.001 . Matherne III, C. F., Litchfield SR. Investigating the relationship between affective commitment and unethical pro-organizational behaviors: The role of moral identity. J Leadersh Account Ethics. 2012;9(5):35–46. Mayer DM, Kuenzi M, Greenbaum R, Bardes M, Salvador RB. How low does ethical leadership flow? Test of a trickle-down model. Organ Behav Hum Decis Process. 2009;108(1):1–13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.obhdp.2008.04.002 . Meyer JP, Allen NJ. A three-component conceptualization of organizational commitment. Hum Resource Manage Rev. 1991;1:61–89. https://doi.org/10.1016/1053-4822(91)90011-Z . Meyer JP, Allen NJ, Smith CA. Commitment to organizations and occupations: Extensionand test of a three-component conceptualization. J Appl Psychol. 1993;78:538–51. Mishra P, ve Datta B. Perpetual asset management of customer-based brand equity-the pam evaluator. Curr Res J Social Sci. 2011;3(1):34–43. Nunnally JC. Psychometric Theory. 2nd ed. McGraw-Hill; 1978. O'Keefe DF, Peach JM, Messervey DL. The combined effect of ethical leadership, moral identity, and organizational identification on workplace behavior. J Leadersh Stud. 2019;13(1):20–35. Preacher KJ, Hayes AF. SPSS and SAS procedures for estimating indirect effects in simple mediation models. Behav Res Methods Instruments Computers. 2004;36(4):717–31. Podsakoff PM, MacKenzie SB, Lee JY, Podsakoff NP. Common method biases in behavioral research: A critical review of the literature and recommended remedies. J Appl Psychol. 2003;88(5):879–903. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.88.5.879 . Schein EH. Organizational culture and leadership. Volume 2. Wiley; 2010. Shrout PE, Bolger N. Mediation in experimental and nonexperimental studies: New procedures and recommendations. Psychol Methods. 2002;7(4):422–45. Tamer ET, Güven ÖZ, Yangil FM. Bireysel Değerler ve Örgütsel Bağlılık İlişkisi: Otel İşletmeleri Üzerine Bir Çalışma. İşletme Araştırmaları Dergisi. 2022;14(3):1904–19. Yılmaz AGF, Yılmaz F. (2015). Ahlaki Kimlik Ölçeği Türkçe Formunun Geçerlik ve Güvenirlik Çalışması. Celal Bayar Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, 13(4). Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. 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The mediating role of moral identity in employees","fulltext":[{"header":"Introduction","content":"\u003cp\u003eOrganizational commitment refers to how psychologically attached an employee is to their workplace. Meyer and Allen (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR27\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1991\u003c/span\u003e) stated that employees can be attached to their workplace in three ways: normative, continuance, and affective. This study examines employees' affective commitment. This is because one of the important factors affecting the success and continuity of organizations is the affective commitment of employees to the organization (Hamidi et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). Emotional commitment is when employees make extra efforts for the organization's interests and behave in accordance with the organization's wishes (Derelioğlu, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). Especially in the healthcare sector, high employee commitment increases productivity and performance while ensuring the provision of higher quality healthcare services to patients (Kourkouni et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e). In the literature, the alignment of individual values with organizational values is seen as an important determinant of this commitment (Tamer et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR36\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e). Organizational culture, as the set of shared norms, beliefs, and values within an organization, is an important environmental factor that influences individuals' commitment to the organization (Schein, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR34\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2010\u003c/span\u003e). On the other hand, moral identity, an individual value, is another factor that affects emotional commitment. Moral identity refers to an individual's possession of ethical values and placing these values at the center of their self-perception (Aquino \u0026amp; Reed, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2002\u003c/span\u003e). Individuals with high moral identity feel more meaningful and valuable in an ethical value-based organizational culture. Employees with high moral identity are more satisfied with ethical leaders or management, and their sense of commitment to the organization increases (Mayer et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2009\u003c/span\u003e). Therefore, a culture based on ethical values, transparency, and support can strengthen employees' sense of belonging and increase their emotional commitment, with the employee's moral identity playing a mediating role in this relationship.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMoral identity is the degree to which an individual identifies themselves as a moral person. If individuals within an organization identify themselves as possessing moral identity, they will exhibit ethical behavior (Matherne \u0026amp; Litchfield, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR25\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2012\u003c/span\u003e). If individuals believe that universally accepted virtuous behaviors such as being honest, compassionate, fair, helpful, and generous play an important role in defining their personal identity, they are considered to have a strong moral identity (Jia, Krettenauer, \u0026amp; Li, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e). Therefore, moral identity plays an important role in both individuals' personal and professional lives and contributes to the development of their positive attitudes. Furthermore, it is critically important for organizations to develop a culture that supports ethical behavior, both for the success of employees and the organization (\u0026Ccedil;elik et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e). In this context, organizational managers creating a culture based on ethical values can increase both the emergence of employees' moral identities and their commitment to the organization.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe cultural structure of society shapes what individuals consider ethical and unethical. In other words, the cultural structure of society will influence the ethical identity that individuals define for themselves (Jia, Krettenauer, \u0026amp; Li, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e). Although it is accepted in the existing literature that understandings of ethics and moral identity are influenced by culture, how culture shape\u0026rsquo;s moral identity has not been studied extensively (AlSheddi, Russell \u0026amp; Hegarty, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e). Culture is seen as a manageable and changeable competitive advantage. The belief that organizational culture can affect job performance, competitiveness, efficiency, and effectiveness, and the idea that increasing employee commitment improves job performance, has led academics to research these topics (Carvalho et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e). Within the scope of this research, the mediating role of moral identity in the effect of organizational culture on emotional commitment was examined.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis research was developed based on the questions, \"Does the cultural structure of the organization affect employee emotional commitment?\" and \"How does culture shape the moral identity of employees?\" A review of the existing literature revealed that the understanding of moral identity is influenced by culture, but it was noted that this topic has not been explored extensively (AlSheddi, Russell \u0026amp; Hegarty, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e). Moral identity shapes organizational processes by determining how individuals reflect their ethical values in organizational life. The cultural structure in the healthcare sector can have a direct impact on employees' levels of emotional commitment, patient satisfaction, and service quality. In this context, this study aims to reveal the effect of organizational culture on the levels of emotional commitment of healthcare workers and the potential mediating role of moral identity in this effect.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eTheoretical framework and hypotheses\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAccording to Cameron and Quinn (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1999\u003c/span\u003e), an organization's culture reflects the things it values, leadership styles, language and symbols, procedures and routines, and the definitions of success that constitute a single organization. According to these authors, culture represents a set of perceptions, memories, values, attitudes, and definitions that are created by consensus and are therefore accepted by everyone. Emotional commitment, on the other hand, is the employee's willingness to contribute voluntarily to the betterment of the organization (Dunger, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eOrganizational culture is a fundamental factor that strengthens employees' emotional commitment to the organization. Research shows that organizational culture increases employees' sense of belonging to the organization, their adoption of organizational goals, and their desire to remain in the organization through its values, norms, and management style (Jehanzeb \u0026amp; Bashir, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e; Alshuhumi et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). In this context, employees who embrace organizational culture will have increased emotional commitment. For example, in their research, Carvalho, et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e) stated that there is a positive relationship between organizational culture and emotional commitment. Dunger (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e) stated that organizational culture has an effect on organizational commitment as a result of his research conducted in Germany. Therefore, it is predicted that organizational culture will increase emotional commitment within the scope of this research. Based on this information, the first hypothesis was developed.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eH1\u003c/strong\u003e \u003cp\u003eOrganizational culture positively affects the emotional commitment of healthcare workers.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAccording to Schein (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR34\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2010\u003c/span\u003e), organizational culture is a set of shared assumptions, values, and beliefs that form the deep structure of an organization. This culture, which guides employees' attitudes and behaviors, can play a decisive role in individuals' adoption of ethical values. According to Aquino and Reed (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2002\u003c/span\u003e), moral identity is an individual's perception of themselves as a \"person who holds moral values.\" This identity can influence an individual's motivation to behave ethically and their psychological connection to the organization. For example, AlSheddi et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e) noted in their comparative study of Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom that cultural differences affect the definition of moral identity. According to Lee (2020), a strong organizational culture with ethical values can strengthen employees' moral identity and enable them to exhibit ethical behavior. Therefore, organizational culture can play a critical role in shaping employees' moral identity and the emergence of their moral behavior. In light of this information, the following second hypothesis has been developed.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eH2\u003c/strong\u003e \u003cp\u003eOrganizational culture positively affects healthcare workers' perception of moral identity.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIndividuals with a strong moral identity tend to use positive emotions and expressions when defining themselves and explaining their behavior in social life. (Akdoğan et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e). Moral identity facilitates the employee's identification with the organization by enabling the individual to adopt the organizational identity, and this strengthens emotional commitment (O'Keefe et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR31\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e). For example, Tamer et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR36\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e) showed in their research that individuals who possess individual values, i.e., who act for the benefit of their organization, have increased emotional commitment to the organization they work for. Therefore, it is thought that organizational culture and moral identity affect emotional commitment. Emotional commitment relates to an individual's intention to voluntarily continue working for the organization (Meyer and Allen \u003cspan citationid=\"CR27\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1991\u003c/span\u003e). Emotional commitment expresses the employee's emotional commitment to the organization, their identification with it, and their participation in it. In this dimension, the employee remains loyal to the organization with a sense of loyalty and belonging (Carvalho et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e). Therefore, an ethical and supportive work environment can increase emotional commitment. Based on this information, the following hypothesis has been developed.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eH3\u003c/strong\u003e \u003cp\u003eEthical identity positively influences healthcare workers' emotional commitment.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eOne way to ensure sustainable organizational success is to increase employees' emotional commitment. In this context, the psychological and cultural factors that influence employees' emotional ties to the organization have been the focus of academic research. Organizational culture, in particular, is a fundamental factor that shapes employees' perception of values and, in this way, influences their attitudes toward the organization (Schein, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR34\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2010\u003c/span\u003e). A culture based on ethical values contributes to the development of individuals' moral identity by enabling them to find meaning in their roles within the organization (Aquino \u0026amp; Reed, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2002\u003c/span\u003e). This developing moral identity can strengthen the employee's emotional commitment to the organization (O'Keefe et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR31\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e). This study examines the mediating role of moral identity in the effect of organizational culture on emotional commitment. In plain terms, organizational culture can affect emotional commitment both directly and indirectly through the mediation of moral identity. In light of this information, the following hypothesis has been developed.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eH4\u003c/strong\u003e \u003cp\u003eMoral identity plays a mediating role in the effect of organizational culture on the emotional commitment of healthcare workers.\u003c/p\u003e "},{"header":"Method","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec3\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis section details the design and purpose of the research and provides information on the process of determining the population and sample. In addition, the data collection tools and data analysis methods are explained, presenting the methodological framework of the study in a comprehensive manner.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eResearch Design\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis study was designed as cross-sectional research aiming to examine the effect of organizational culture on the emotional commitment of healthcare workers and to reveal the possible mediating role of moral identity in this relationship. Furthermore, a descriptive and exploratory approach was adopted in the research. In the data collection process, data were obtained through a survey from healthcare workers in different branches working in public health institutions. The questionnaire form included validated scales designed to measure perceptions of organizational culture (independent variable), emotional commitment (dependent variable), and moral identity (mediating variable).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eResearch objective and problem\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe healthcare sector is an area that can cause high levels of stress on employees due to its intense work pace and the need for direct contact with people. This situation makes the role of organizational culture in shaping the emotional commitment of healthcare workers even more important. The values, norms, and practices shared by the institution can directly affect employees' sense of belonging and motivation in the workplace. Based on these reasons, it is observed that there are limited comprehensive studies examining the effect of organizational culture on emotional commitment, particularly in Turkish healthcare institutions, and investigating the mediating role of moral identity in this process.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis study aims to examine the effect of organizational culture on the emotional commitment of healthcare workers and to reveal the mediating role of moral identity in this relationship. This is intended to contribute to the understanding of critical issues in the healthcare sector, such as employee satisfaction, morale, fulfillment, commitment level, and organizational efficiency. Ultimately, the research results also aim to provide important information and recommendations on how healthcare institutions can develop strategies to improve their organizational culture and how to create a work environment that strengthens employees' moral identity.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eResearch population and sample\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWithin the scope of this study, healthcare personnel working at an education and research hospital with a capacity of 700 beds operating in the Black Sea Region were determined as the population. According to data obtained from the hospital records, it was determined that a total of 1,147 healthcare personnel were working at this institution. G*Power (version 3.1.7) software was used to determine the sample size of the study. In regression analysis, considering an effect size of 0.05, a significance level (α) of 0.01, a statistical power (1\u0026ndash;β) of 0.95, and three predictor variables, it was determined that at least 319 participants were required. A simple random sampling method was adopted in the data collection process. Initially, 400 printed questionnaire forms were distributed to hospital staff. Additionally, the online version of the questionnaire and a digital information form were shared via the institution's email system and social media platforms (WhatsApp). Furthermore, within the framework of the snowball sampling approach, participants were asked to share the questionnaire link with their colleagues to increase participation. At the end of this process, a total of 517 survey forms were returned. However, 28 forms were excluded from the evaluation because they contained incomplete or incorrect answers. Thus, 489 fully completed survey forms were included in the statistical analysis. Ultimately, when the entire population was considered, the participation rate was determined to be approximately 58.3%.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eData collection tools\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe data collection tool in this study consisted of four main sections. The first section included demographic information about the participants' age, gender, marital status, professional seniority, and education level. The second section used a scale designed to measure organizational culture, the third section measured ethical identity, and the fourth section measured emotional commitment levels. In all scales, participants responded using a five-point Likert-type rating system ranging from \"1: Strongly Disagree\" to \"5: Strongly Agree.\"\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eOrganizational culture scale: The organizational culture scale developed by Cameron and Quinn (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1999\u003c/span\u003e) and validated and reliability tested by Karakılı\u0026ccedil; (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e) was used to measure individuals' perceptions of organizational culture. The scale consists of a total of 16 items and four sub-dimensions. Finally, the Cronbach's alpha value for the adapted form of the scale was determined to be 0.96 for the scale as a whole.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMoral identity scale: The moral identity scale developed by Aquino and Reed (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2002\u003c/span\u003e) and adapted into Turkish by Yılmaz and Yılmaz (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR37\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e) was used to measure employees' perceptions of moral identity. The scale consists of ten items and two dimensions. Finally, in the adapted form of the scale, Cronbach's alpha values of 0.77 and 0.76 were determined for the internalization dimension and the symbolization dimension, respectively.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eEmotional commitment scale: The emotional commitment dimension, which is a sub-dimension of the organizational commitment scale developed by Meyer, Allen, and Smith (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR28\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1993\u003c/span\u003e) and adapted into Turkish by Dağlı, El\u0026ccedil;i\u0026ccedil;ek, and Han (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e), was used to measure the commitment of healthcare workers. The scale consists of six items. Finally, the Cronbach's alpha value of the adapted form of the scale was found to be 0.80.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec8\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eEthical aspects of the study\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003e Approval for this study was obtained from the Erzincan Binali Yıldırım University Human Research Ethics Committee (E-88012460-050.01.04-265056). Participants' voluntary participation was ensured through an informed consent form, and written permission was also obtained from the provincial health directorate to which the hospital where the data was collected belongs.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eAnalysis Methods\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAMOS 22, SPSS 24 applications, and the SPSS MACRO add-on were used to analyze the research data. First, frequency analyses were performed to determine the demographic characteristics of healthcare workers. Then, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was applied using the AMOS 22 program to test the validity of the measurement tools. After the validity analyses, reliability analyses were performed using Cronbach Alpha via SPSS 24. After completing the validity and reliability analyses of the measurement tools, the correlation coefficients between the scales were examined to test the designed hypotheses. In the final stage, Hayes' (2013) SPSS MACRO analysis program was used to examine the mediating role of moral identity level by selecting Model 4.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Findings","content":"\u003cp\u003eThis section of the study presents the participants' demographic results, the reliability and validity analyses of the measurement tools, the correlation coefficients, and the mediation analyses.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec11\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eDemographic results of healthcare workers\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn this section, the demographic data of healthcare workers (age, gender, and education level) were examined and interpreted through frequency analyses.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab1\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 1\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eStatistical results for demographic information\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"3\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003en: 489\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003en\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGender\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMale\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e200\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e40,9\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFemale\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e289\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e59,1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAge\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e18\u0026ndash;28 years old\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e215\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e43,9\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e29\u0026ndash;39 years old\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e155\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e31,7\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e40\u0026ndash;50 years old\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e79\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e15,9\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e51 years and older\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e40\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8,5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eEducation level\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAssociate degree\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e13,7\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBachelor's degree\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e371\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e75,9\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGraduate\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e51\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e10,4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003ctfoot\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd colspan=\"3\"\u003eN\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;489; \u003cem\u003e%: Percentage\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tfoot\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhen evaluating the demographic findings of healthcare workers, 40.9% of participants (200 people) were male and 59.1% (289 people) were female. When examining their ages, 215 workers (43.9%) were between 18 and 28 years old, 155 employees (31.7%) were aged 29\u0026ndash;39, 79 employees (15.9%) were aged 40\u0026ndash;50, and 40 employees (8.5%) were aged 51 and above. Finally, when evaluated by educational level, 67 healthcare workers (13.7%) were associate degree graduates, 371 (75.9%) have a bachelor's degree, and 51 (10.4%) have postgraduate education.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec12\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eMeasurement models\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eAt this stage, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed to test the construct validity of the variables (organizational culture, moral identity, and emotional commitment) included in the research model based on the theoretical framework. During this analysis process, the risk of \"common method variance\" emphasized by Podsakoff et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR33\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2003\u003c/span\u003e) and Lindell and Whitney (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2001\u003c/span\u003e) was also evaluated. Since systematic error sources may arise when the same participant answers multiple scales in the same time period, Harman's single factor test was also applied. This test examines how much of the obtained variance can be explained by a single factor. If a single factor explains more than 50% of the total variance, common method bias is considered a significant problem (MacKenzie and Podsakoff, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR24\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2012\u003c/span\u003e). However, the analysis revealed that the single factor explained approximately 45% of the variance. This ratio being below 50% indicates that method bias is low and that the validity of the measurement tools used is preserved (Kline, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR20\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2016\u003c/span\u003e; Byrne, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2016\u003c/span\u003e). Finally, the DFA results applied to evaluate the construct validity of the variables and the model's fit with the data in more detail are presented in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e. This table shows the fit indices of the four-factor measurement model as well as different alternative models (Model 1, Model 2, Model 3).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab2\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 2\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFit indices for the measurement model and alternative models\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"8\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c7\" colnum=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c8\" colnum=\"8\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eModels\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCMIN(χ2)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDF\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eχ2/df\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eRMSEA\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCFI\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eTLI\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSRMR\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eResearch Model\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e897.64\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e699\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.28\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.02\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.98\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.98\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.02\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eModel 1\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2495.56\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e701\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.56\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.05\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.93\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.93\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.04\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eModel 2\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3060.72\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e702\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4,36\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.10\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.86\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.84\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.09\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eModel 3\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3859.47\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e703\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.49\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.12\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.84\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.83\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.11\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003ctfoot\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd colspan=\"8\"\u003eN\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;489; χ2/df\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Chi-Square Goodness-of-Fit Test; RMSEA\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Root Mean Square Error of Approximation; CFI\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Comparative Fit Index; TLI\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Tucker-Lewis Index; SRMR\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Standardized Root Mean Square Residual\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tfoot\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTable\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e shows the confirmatory factor analysis results, the research model, and the fit indices of the alternative models. Each fit measure was used to assess how well the models fit the data. Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e shows that the study's three-factor measurement model (organizational culture, moral identity, and emotional commitment) had better fit values than the three different alternative models developed (Model 1, Model 2, Model 3). The obtained goodness-of-fit values (χ2/df\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;1.28 RMSEA\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.02; CFI\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.98; TLI\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.98; SRMR\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.02) are within the accepted ranges (Mishra and Datta, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR29\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2011\u003c/span\u003e; G\u0026uuml;rb\u0026uuml;z, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e). According to the table results, the research model shows the best fit indices when compared to other models.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec13\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eCorrelation and reliability analyses\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eTable\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e examines the mean, standard deviation, Cronbach's Alpha, and correlation analysis results for the three main variables (organizational culture, moral identity, emotional commitment).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab3\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 3\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCorrelation and reliability findings for the scales\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"7\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c7\" colnum=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ex̄\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eS.D\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eOC\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMI\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEA\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eα\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eOrganizational Culture (OC)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.05\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.57\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.95\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eMoral Identity (MI)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.05\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.59\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.89\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.89\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eEmotional Commitment (EC)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.08\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.63\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.86\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.83\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.83\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003ctfoot\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd colspan=\"7\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eN\u003c/em\u003e\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;489; S.D: Standart sapma; \u003cspan class=\"InlineEquation\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mathinline\"\u003e\\(\\:\\stackrel{-}{x}:\\)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e Ortalama\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tfoot\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eCorrelation coefficients in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e are used to evaluate the relationship between variables. A coefficient above 0.30 indicates a moderate relationship, while 0.50 and above indicates a high relationship (Cohen, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1988\u003c/span\u003e). There is a positive and high (r\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.89, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.01) relationship between organizational culture and moral identity. This shows that as the perception of organizational culture increases, the perception of moral identity also increases. The second finding in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e is that a positive correlation (r\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.86, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.01) was found between organizational culture and emotional commitment. This finding shows that organizational culture can be effective on the emotional commitment levels of employees. The final finding regarding the correlations in the table is the correlation coefficient between moral identity and emotional commitment (r\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.83, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.01), which also reveals a positive and strong relationship between the two variables. Cronbach's Alpha coefficient assesses the internal consistency and reliability of each construct, and a value above 0.70 indicates acceptable reliability (Nunnally, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR30\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1978\u003c/span\u003e). Cronbach's Alpha values for all variables (0.95 for OC, 0.89 for MI, and 0.83 for EC) are above 0.70, indicating high internal consistency. The findings reveal that the scales used in the study are reliable and that the relationships between organizational culture, moral identity, and emotional commitment are strong and positive.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec14\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eHypothesis tests\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe stage of testing the hypotheses has been reached within the framework of the correlation analysis and confirmatory factor analysis results between the scales belonging to the research. In this stage, a process was followed in which two separate models were analyzed to test the hypotheses. In the hypothesis testing phase of the research, regression analysis results were first examined to reveal the effects between variables. In this process, the effects of organizational culture on emotional commitment, organizational culture on moral identity, and moral identity on emotional commitment were identified through regression analyses. In the subsequent stage, the bootstrapping method proposed by Preacher and Hayes (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR32\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2004\u003c/span\u003e) was used to analyze the mediating effect (questioning the mediating role of moral identity in the effect of organizational culture on emotional commitment).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab4\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 4\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eRegression results related to the mediating effect\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"7\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c7\" colnum=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"7\" nameend=\"c7\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMoral Identity (MI)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eVariables\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eβ\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSE\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eT\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eP\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eLLCI\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eULCI\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eOrganizational Culture \u003cb\u003e(OC)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.95\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.02\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e50.18\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.000\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.91\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.99\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"7\" nameend=\"c7\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eEmotional Commitment (EC)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eVariables\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eβ\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSE\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eT\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eP\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eLLCI\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eULCI\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMoral Identity \u003cb\u003e(MI)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.30\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.06\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.36\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.000\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.19\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.42\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eOrganizational Culture \u003cb\u003e(OC)\u003c/b\u003e (Direct Effect)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.67\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.06\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e11.39\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.000\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.56\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.79\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eOrganizational Culture \u003cb\u003e(OC)\u003c/b\u003e (Total Effect)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.96\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.02\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e39.37\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.000\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.91\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.01\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eIndirect Effect\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eβ\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSE\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eLLCI\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eULCI\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.29\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.05\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.56\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.79\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec15\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eNote. N\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;489; LLCI\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;lower limit; ULCI\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;upper limit\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eAccording to the regression analysis results obtained in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e, the direct effect of organizational culture on emotional commitment is significant (β\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.67, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001). Confidence intervals (LLCI\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.56, ULCI\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.79) also confirm the reliability of this effect. This indicates that an increase in organizational culture directly affects the level of emotional commitment. This result supports the acceptance of H1 hypothesis. According to the second finding in the table, the effect of organizational culture on moral identity is significant (β\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.95, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001). Confidence intervals (LLCI\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.91, ULCI\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.99) also indicate that this effect is reliable. Based on this result, it can be said that a positive increase in organizational culture has a direct effect on employees' moral identity. Based on this result, it can be stated that hypothesis H2 is accepted. Furthermore, when the effect of moral identity on emotional commitment was examined, this effect was also found to be significant (β\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.30, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001). Confidence intervals (LLCI\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.19, ULCI\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.42) also indicate that this effect is reliable. According to this result, it can be stated that employees' positive moral identity perceptions directly affect their emotional commitment. This result also indicates that hypothesis H3 is accepted. Finally, based on the statistical effects found between the three variables and since it also complies with Baron and Kenny's (1986) mediation model conditions, it is possible to question the mediation effect. According to the final finding in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e, the indirect effect (i.e., OC \u0026rarr; MI \u0026rarr; EC path) was calculated as β\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.29, SE\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.05, and the confidence intervals (LLCI\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.56, ULCI\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.79) indicate that this effect is statistically significant. According to Baron and Kenny's (1986) mediation criteria, these findings indicate partial mediation (MacKinnon et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2002\u003c/span\u003e; Shrout and Bolger, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR35\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2002\u003c/span\u003e). In summary, it can be stated that moral identity plays a mediating role in the effect of organizational culture on emotional commitment. Based on these results, it can be stated that H4 hypothesis is also accepted.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAccording to Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e, while organizational culture significantly affects employees' moral identity (β\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.95), moral identity also significantly increases emotional commitment (β\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.30). The direct effect of organizational culture on emotional commitment (β\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.67) and its total effect (β\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.96) are also statistically significant. In conclusion, moral identity acts as a partial mediator in the relationship between organizational culture and emotional commitment. Ultimately, these results show that the perception of organizational culture nurtures moral identity in employees, thereby increasing their emotional commitment to the organization.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Discussion","content":"\u003cp\u003eThis study has shown that moral identity plays a partial mediating role in the effect of organizational culture in the healthcare sector on employees' emotional commitment. The findings indicate that organizational culture has a positive effect on employees and that employees who embrace organizational culture are more emotionally committed to their workplace. However, it has been determined that moral identity partially mediates the relationship between organizational culture and emotional commitment. Therefore, based on this result, we can say that organizational culture increases emotional commitment by supporting the individual's moral identity. The findings of this study support the hypotheses and present results parallel to some studies in the literature.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis study suggests that moral identity may play a mediating role in the relationship between organizational culture and emotional commitment. According to the first hypothesis of the study, it was found that organizational culture positively affects the emotional commitment of healthcare workers. In other words, employees who embrace organizational culture have increased emotional commitment. This result obtained in the study is similar to many studies in the literature. For example, Carvalho et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e) stated in their research that there is a positive relationship between organizational culture and emotional commitment. Similarly, Dunger (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e) showed in his research conducted in Germany that organizational culture has an effect on organizational commitment. The findings of these studies support the results of our study. In conclusion, it can be said that the emotional commitment of healthcare workers who embrace organizational culture increases.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e According to the second hypothesis of the study, it was found that organizational culture positively affects healthcare workers' perception of moral identity. In other words, it was understood that employees who embrace organizational culture will exhibit more ethical and moral behavior due to this effect. Therefore, it can be said that organizational culture increases moral identity. This result of the study is supported by some studies in the literature. For example, AlSheddi et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e) stated in their comparative study between Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom that cultural differences affect moral identity definitions. The findings of these studies are similar to the results of our study. In conclusion, it can be said that healthcare workers who embrace organizational culture will exhibit ethical behavior within the organization. In other words, organizational culture can increase moral identity.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAccording to the third hypothesis of the study, it was found that moral identity positively affects the emotional commitment of healthcare workers. In other words, employees with a high perception of moral identity have increased emotional commitment to the organization. Therefore, it can be said that moral identity increases emotional commitment. The result of this study is similar to some studies in the literature. For example, the results of the research by Hamidi et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e) showed that the relationship between nurses' organizational identity and commitment in the healthcare sector increases quality. In their research, Tamer et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR36\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e) showed that individuals who have individual values, i.e., who act for the benefit of their institution, have increased emotional commitment to the organization they work for. The findings of these studies are consistent with the results of our study. Consequently, healthcare workers with a high sense of moral identity will also have high emotional commitment.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAccording to the fourth hypothesis of the study, it was determined that moral identity plays a partial mediating role in the relationship between organizational culture and emotional commitment. In short, it was found that organizational culture in the healthcare sector increases employee emotional commitment through moral identity. The results of the study reveal findings similar to some previous studies. For example, according to Kourkouni et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2025\u003c/span\u003e), nurses' organizational commitment was found to be related to ethical leadership and organizational culture. The results of this study support our research. In other words, ethical leadership increases emotional commitment, which is one of the dimensions of organizational commitment, and increases emotional commitment in organizational culture. Our research has shown that moral identity may play a partial mediating role in the relationship between organizational culture and emotional commitment, and the studies mentioned above support our findings. In conclusion, healthcare workers' adoption of organizational culture increases their emotional commitment, and the perception of moral identity further supports this relationship. Furthermore, the adoption of organizational culture by employees has been shown to lead to their effective and ethical behavior. It has been understood that both organizational culture and moral identity increase emotional commitment to the organization.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec17\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eRecommendations for healthcare workers\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eIt is important for healthcare institutions to implement policies aimed at developing organizational culture in a systematic and transparent manner in order to strengthen employees' emotional commitment. In particular, the effective use of leadership styles and internal communication channels can increase the sense of participation in the process by allowing the experiences and expectations of employees to be evaluated at regular intervals. In this regard, it is thought that managers adopting an ethical and transparent management approach can increase the trust employees have in the organization and positively influence the reflection of the perception of ethical identity in organizational processes. Furthermore, supporting teamwork that encourages cooperation among employees can contribute to the formation of a more participatory and shared organizational culture, thereby strengthening employees' sense of belonging to the organization. Finally, increasing professional training opportunities and employing individuals in roles suited to their areas of expertise may be beneficial in enhancing both employees' professional development and their level of emotional commitment.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Conclusion","content":"\u003cp\u003eThis study aimed to reveal the effect of organizational culture on the emotional commitment of healthcare workers and the mediating role of moral identity in this process. The findings show that organizational culture directly affects both moral identity and emotional commitment, and that moral identity plays a partial mediating role in this relationship. It can be said that, especially in the healthcare sector, despite intense and stressful working conditions, the norms and values shared within the organization foster a stronger sense of moral identity among employees, which in turn increases their emotional commitment to the organization. Organizational practices, leadership attitudes, and work environment regulations that create a climate in which healthcare workers can express themselves morally can positively affect organizational and emotional commitment. In this context, it is important to address improvements in organizational culture and policies that support moral identity together in managerial practices.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec19\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eLimitations of the study and suggestions for future research\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eSince this study was conducted using a cross-sectional design, it is difficult to draw definitive conclusions regarding cause-and-effect relationships. Similarly, as the study relied on self-reports from participating healthcare workers, the data obtained may have certain limitations in terms of criterion validity (Podsakoff et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR33\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2003\u003c/span\u003e). While the questionnaire method used in the study has the advantage of reflecting individuals' own perceptions, it cannot completely eliminate the risk of common method bias (MacKenzie \u0026amp; Podsakoff, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR24\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2012\u003c/span\u003e). Although various methods have been applied to reduce common method variance against these risks (e.g., Harman's single-factor test), the fact that the data were collected at the same time and through self-reporting means that there is still a potential for bias in the study. Furthermore, the study is limited to a sample of healthcare workers from a teaching and research hospital operating in a specific geographical region. This situation may limit the possibility of generalization, even in similar types of hospitals, considering different regional or institutional cultural characteristics. Therefore, findings obtained in a single sector or institutional context need to be tested in future studies to determine whether they yield the same results in different cultural and institutional environments. In this regard, findings obtained from different socio-cultural contexts or different sectors in future research will enrich the results of this study and increase its generalizability. Furthermore, the use of longitudinal or experimental designs may reveal the dynamics between organizational culture and moral identity more clearly. Finally, the inclusion of additional variables such as leadership styles, organizational justice, organizational trust, job satisfaction, job stress, organizational citizenship, organizational support, and social support may also allow for a comprehensive assessment of attitudes and behaviors within the organization.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e "},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003ch2\u003eConflict of Interest Statement\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe researchers declare that there is no conflict of interest between any institution or individuals.\u003c/p\u003e \u003ch2\u003eFunding information\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis research was not conducted with funding support from any organization.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eAuthor Contribution\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis article has four authors. All stages of the article were designed and written by the authors in equal proportion.Research idea: MB- GET-ST-AKDesign of the study: MB- GET- STAcquisition of data for the study: MB- GET- ST- AKAnalysis of data for the study: MB- GET- ST- AKInterpretation of data for the study: MB- GET- STDrafting the manuscript: MB- GET- ST- AKRevising it critically for important intellectual content: MB- GET- STFinal approval of the version to be published: MB- GET \u0026ndash; ST- AK\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eAcknowledgements\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eWe would like to thank all healthcare workers who voluntarily participated in the study despite their demanding work conditions.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAkdoğan AA, Cing\u0026ouml;z A, K\u0026ouml;ksal O. 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Celal Bayar \u0026Uuml;niversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, 13(4).\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":true,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Organizational culture, emotional commitment, moral identity, healthcare workers","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8475742/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8475742/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eOrganizational structures and organizational culture in the healthcare sector directly affect employee emotional commitment levels, as well as patient satisfaction and service quality. Furthermore, moral identity shapes organizational processes by determining how individuals reflect their ethical values in organizational life. Against this background, this study aims to examine the effect of organizational culture on the emotional commitment levels of healthcare workers and to reveal the potential mediating role of moral identity in this effect. The study was conducted using a cross-sectional design on healthcare workers employed at a 700-bed teaching and research hospital in the Black Sea Region. Data were collected via a questionnaire from 489 participants using simple random sampling and, additionally, the snowball approach. Evaluation of the obtained data revealed a positive and significant relationship between organizational culture and emotional commitment. Moral identity was also observed to exhibit a statistically strong relationship with both variables. Furthermore, it was found that moral identity plays a partial mediating role in the effect of organizational culture on emotional commitment. Ultimately, the findings emphasize the critical role of organizational culture in creating emotional commitment among healthcare workers. Moral identity emerges as a factor that reinforces this effect and shows that employees who exhibit attitudes consistent with the ethical climate of the institution develop greater commitment.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"How does organizational culture affect emotional commitment? The mediating role of moral identity in employees","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-01-07 09:08:42","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8475742/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"b8c23c0b-9970-4337-9d69-65aaf6c70855","owner":[],"postedDate":"January 7th, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-01-14T08:25:02+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-01-07 09:08:42","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-8475742","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-8475742","identity":"rs-8475742","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}