‘The organization is what the leader is’: An ethical leadership framework for universities and research organizations

An ethical leader is one whose actions and influence processes are consistent with ethical and moral values. Research indicates the effect of the leaders´ values on the ethical choices they make. Ethical leadership percolates down to shape the ethical attitudes of people at lower levels, thereby setting the ethical climate of the organization. This paper identifies the imperative for ethical leadership and the manner in which it is manifested in universities and research organizations in India, and suggests an ethical leadership framework for academic and research administrators. The central argument of this paper is that the leader´s own value system, attitudes and influence strategies shape employee behavior and set the ethical tone of the organization. This paper is based on literature review and in-depth exploratory interviews with 26 key informants including institutional leaders and members of the top management and middle-level management in four universities and two research organizations in north India. The first part of our ethical leadership framework includes the dimensions of ethical leadership, while the latter part incorporates the outcomes of ethical leadership. The dimensions of ethical leadership include value orientation, attitudes and influence strategies of the leader. The outcomes of ethical leadership are discussed at three levels of organizational behavior, namely, the individual (micro), the work group (meso) and the organization (macro). This paper recommends strategies for research and education planners, policy makers and administrators to build ethical leadership amongst researchers and academics.