Abstract: In current literature on ethical leadership the complex, multidimensional and cultural environment in which leaders have to operate is often neglected, despite the fact that the same environment sets important... [ view full abstract ]
Abstract: In current literature on ethical leadership the complex, multidimensional and cultural environment in which leaders have to operate is often neglected, despite the fact that the same environment sets important ramifications for how leader performance is perceived and evaluated (cf. Heres, Huberts and Lasthuizen, 2017). This includes the influence of individual follower’s needs and structural work characteristics (micro level; cf. Heres, 2014), industry and sector (meso level; cf. Heres and Lasthuizen, 2012), culture and country (macro level; cf. Eissenbeis and Brodbeck, 2012). Although the importance of context holds for all kinds of leaders and leadership; the importance of cultural values, norms and practices is particularly relevant for (the study of) ethical leadership.
Addressing this issue, this paper aims to explore the meaning of ethical leadership in New Zealand, which forms an ideal case study. New Zealand is officially a bicultural nation, where both Pākehā (Anglo-Saxon/Western) and Māori (Polynesian/Eastern) cultures, traditions and languages are recognised by the state, based on country’s founding document The Treaty of Waitangi.
Findings from in-depth interviews (N = 40) with key figures from public, private, and community sector organisations and with a variety of cultural backgrounds reveal 1) collectively held perceptions of ethical leadership - including leader integrity, honesty and fairness; 2) differences in ethical leadership perceptions rooted in prevailing cultural notions of identity and appropriate ethical theory – including ethics of care; and 3. typical New Zealand views on ethical leadership and its relevance for sector, society and the country's ethical reputation in the world.
Keywords: Ethical leadership; Cultural subjectivity; Situational Leadership Theory; Public, Private and Community Sector; New Zealand.
