Ethical leadership: a theoretical review and empirical research

Abstract

Leaders must be a key source of ethical guidance for employees. The aim of this project is twofold. First, a theoretical review is developed to know why ethical leadership is important. Second, results of an empirical research, based on SMEs from La Vall d’Uixò, are presented. Basing on the background, we will discover what and how this style of leadership is, subsequently we will deepen in the reasons why ethical leaders act in such a way that honesty, integrity and justice become fundamental components of their conduct within the organisation and towards others, not only inside the organisation but also in the personal field. At this point, it is necessary to know which mechanisms of the ethical leaders’ personality allow them to shape the followers at all organisational levels. This relationship helps workers to reach job satisfaction and also to develop positive organisational and individual behaviors.