From Culture to Conduct: How Clan Culture Shapes Sustainable Nursing Behavior

Authors

  • Danish Mushtaq PhD Scholar, Institute of Management Sciences, Baha Ud Din Zakariya University, Multan, Punjab, Pakistan Author
  • Dr Aisha Khan Assistant Professor, Sociology Department, The Women University, Multan Punjab, Pakistan Author
  • Dr. Shahzadi Sattar Lecturer, Department of Business Administration, NFC Institute of Engineering & Technology, Multan, Punjab, Pakistan Author
  • Ume Habiba MPhil Department of Psychology, National College of Business Administration & Economics Al Hamra University, Multan, Campus, Punjab, Pakistan Author

Keywords:

Clan Culture, Moral Leadership, Sustainable Workplace Behavior, Working Sustainability, Ethical Leadership, Nurses, Public Hospitals, Healthcare Sector, Patient Safety, Organizational Culture

Abstract

Healthcare institutions are facing increased challenges in preserving ethical and sustainable practices of their nursing staff due to burnout, scarce resources, and increasing patient requirements. This study seeks to explore the impact of clan culture on sustainable behaviour at work among nurses and identify whether moral leadership acts as a mediator of this process. Based on Social Exchange Theory, Social Learning Theory, Ethical Climate Theory and Conservation of Resources Theory, the mediation model was tested on a sample of 172 registered nurses from public hospitals of South Punjab, Pakistan. A quantitative, cross-sectional approach was used in the study and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) technique was applied for the analysis of data. Results indicate that clan culture positively affects moral leadership (β = 0.686, R² = 0.470), whereas moral leadership is significantly related to five aspects of sustainable workplace behaviour: working sustainably, not harming others, conserving resources, influencing others and showing initiative. The mediation analysis revealed that moral leadership completely mediates the relation of clan culture with each of the mentioned five aspects of behaviour. These results indicate that the collaborative organisational culture supports sustainable practices in nursing through development of morally responsible leaders.

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2026-05-05

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Mushtaq, D., Khan, D. A., Sattar, D. S., & Habiba, U. (2026). From Culture to Conduct: How Clan Culture Shapes Sustainable Nursing Behavior. Journal of Climate and Community Development, 5(1), 45-65. https://joccd.com/index.php/joccd/article/view/113