This research aimed to assess the potential of alternatives to extrinsic pecuniary
rewards for cultivating employees’ commitment in denominational higher education
institutions in Indonesia. Two ethics-related variables, namely ethical climates and ethical
ideologies, were chosen as possible predictors. A model delineating the nexus between
ethical climates types, ethical ideologies, and various forms of organisational commitment
was developed and tested. A two-step structural equation modelling procedure was used as
the primary means in testing the hypothesised relationships. The research involved staff of
nine Catholic higher education institutions in Indonesia and comprised 642 respondents.
Results of the research revealed a negative relationship between egoistic climates and
affective commitment. Benevolence climate was shown to have potential for generating not
only affective, but also continuance commitment. However, our results suggested those
climates that cultivate continuance commitment needed further examination. Principle-based
climates were found to positively influence staff’s affective commitment through their
positive impacts on staff’s idealistic ethical ideology. As expected, the principlecosmopolitan
was shown to have a negative influence on relativism. A number of managerial
and scholarly implications are discussed.