External whistleblowing in the scope of relativism, risk taking propensity and fear of retaliation: An investigation in Turkey’s tourism industry

Purpose – This study examines how employees in the tourism sector perceive and engage in external whistleblowing, with a particular focus on the roles of ethical relativism, risk-taking propensity, and fear of retaliation. Methodology – Employing a quantitative research design, the study analyzes data collected from 405 tourism employees in Turkey through descriptive statistics, factor analysis, and regression-based moderation analysis. Findings – The findings indicate that the most frequently observed unethical practices include discrimination, workplace bullying (mobbing), and mismanagement of resources. Notably, the results also highlight a general reluctance among employees to report such behaviors to external authorities. Furthermore, fear of retaliation was found to moderate the relationship between individuals’ risk-taking propensity and their likelihood of engaging in external whistleblowing. Implications – In response to increasing instances of corporate misconduct and the resulting decline in public trust, the development of regulations focused on corporate and organizational ethics has become essential. Within this context, whistleblowing is recognized as a crucial mechanism for detecting and preventing unethical practices within organizations.