Reconceptualizing ethical leadership for the global south: An institutional logics perspective

Abstract

Research on ethical leadership from an institutional perspective in countries in the Global North has now been established. However, the topic has garnered less attention in regions of the world with markedly different institutional arrangements that are less stable and less predictable, where leaders face a host of ethical problems. The purpose of this study is to address this imbalance by analyzing ethical leadership in the more fluid environment in the Global South, where it is argued that there is a need to move beyond mainstream intrapsychic perspectives, positivist research designs, and binary orientations that have gained widespread currency in the Global North. To this end, the study problematizes the current ethical leadership literature by drawing on the theory of institutional logics. The theory of institutional logics provides a macro- and micro-level perspective, where the interplay of multiple competing institutions shapes ethical leadership. The analysis aims to clarify and intensify the problems of ethical decision-making in the Global South by offering a set of counterpoints that extend on the mainstream literature. The theoretical and practice-based implications of our analysis are discussed, offering insights for organizations and leaders seeking to navigate the ethical challenges in diverse institutional settings.