Leadership and business ethics: A conceptual framework for responsible management

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Abstract

Ethical leadership has emerged as a fundamental determinant of corporate governance and sustainable organizational practices, necessitating a deeper examination of its strategic dimensions. This paper explores the intersection of leadership and business ethics, proposing a conceptual framework for responsible management. Despite the extensive scholarship on ethical leadership, a critical gap persists in understanding the extent to which strategic leadership incorporates ethical considerations into decision-making processes. By identifying and analyzing various leadership styles within an ethical framework, this study elucidates both the convergences and divergences across these approaches. Through a synthesis of theoretical perspectives, this paper advances a structured approach to embedding ethics within leadership paradigms. The findings contribute to the academic discourse by offering a strategic framework that integrates ethical leadership with corporate governance and long-term organizational performance. Additionally, this study provides practical insights for business leaders seeking to cultivate ethical organizational cultures while maintaining competitive advantage. By bridging theoretical constructs with managerial applications, this research enhances both scholarly inquiry and business practice.

Keywords: Ethical Leadership, Business Ethics, Normative Ethics, Leadership Philosophy, Ethical Governance, Moral Leadership, Leadership Styles, Leadership Models, Organizational Ethics, Responsible Management, Ethical Decision-Making, Transformational Leadership, Servant Leadership, Virtue Ethics

Authors’ individual contribution: The Author is responsible for all the contributions to the paper according to CRediT (Contributor Roles Taxonomy) standards.

Declaration of conflicting interests: The Author declares that there is no conflict of interest.

JEL Classification: M10, M12, M14

Received: 19.11.2024
Accepted: 13.03.2025
Published online: 17.03.2025

How to cite this paper: Ferhani, B. (2025). Leadership and business ethics: A conceptual framework for responsible management. Corporate Ownership & Control, 22(1), 111–124. https://doi.org/10.22495/cocv22i1art9