An Integrative Framework of Ethical Leadership

Although leadership studies have highlighted the importance of ethical conduct, scholarship on this topic has generally treated ethical leadership in a decontextualized, individualist and isolated manner. The purpose of this article is to review the literature to develop an integrative framework that conceptualizes ethical leadership as a dynamic process, wherein individual traits of leaders, organizational contexts and systematic practices are mutually reinforcing and evolving. The article also outlines an agenda for future researchers to systematically examine and implement ethical leadership in real-world settings.