Abstract
This chapter argues for the use of a virtue ethics framework as a means of developing individual leaders and leadership capacity within groups and organizations. Major streams of leadership theory are discussed and applications of virtue ethics principles are illustrated with a leader-member exchange (LMX) perspective. Using MacIntyre’s notions of practice and internal goods, an argument is also advanced that leadership processes can be considered internal goods that drive practice within groups and organizations. Future research directions for the use of virtue ethics concepts in leadership development are proposed along with discussions of potential applications in human resource development.
Keywords
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsReferences
Arjoon, S. 2000. Virtue theory as a dynamic theory of business. Journal of Business Ethics 28(2): 159–178.
Bass, B.M. 1990. Bass and Stogdill’s handbook of leadership: Theory, research, and managerial applications, 3rd ed. New York: Free Press.
Carmeli, A., B. Ben-Hador, D.A. Waldman, and D.E. Rupp. 2009. How leaders cultivate social capital and nurture employee vigor: Implications for Job performance. Journal of Applied Psychology 94(6): 1553–1561.
Churchland, P.S., T. Sejnowski, W.G. Lycan, and J. Prinz. 2008. Neural representation and neural computation. In Mind and cognition: An anthology, 3rd ed, ed. W.G. Lyca and J. Prinz, 247–268. Malden: Blackwell Publishing.
Cowsill, R., and K. Grint. 2008. Leadership, task and relationship: Orpheus, Prometheus and Janus. Human Resource Management Journal 18(2): 188–195.
Dane, E., and M.G. Pratt. 2007. Exploring intuition and its role in managerial decision making. The Academy of Management Review 32(1): 33–54.
Dansereau, F., F.J. Yammarino, S.E. Markham, J.A. Alutto, J. Newman, M. Dumas, et al. 1998. Individualized leadership: A New multiple-level approach. In Leadership: The multiple-level approaches, ed. F. Dansereau and F.J. Yammarino, 363–405. Stanford: JAI Press.
Day, D.V., and P.M.G. O’Connor. 2003. Leadership development: Understanding the process. In The future of leadership development, ed. S.E. Murphy and R.E. Riggio, 11–28. Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Dienesch, R.M., and R.C. Liden. 1986. Leader-member exchange model of leadership: A critique and further development. The Academy of Management Review 11(3): 618–634.
Fleishman, E.A., M.D. Mumford, S.J. Zaccaro, and K.Y. Levin. 1991. Taxonomic efforts in the description of leader behavior: A synthesis and functional interpretation. The Leadership Quarterly 2(4): 245–287.
Fowers, B.J., and A.C. Tjeltveit. 2003. Virtue obscured and retrieved: Character, community, and practices in behavioral science. American Behavioral Scientist 47(4): 387–394.
Goffman, E. 1971. The presentation of self in everyday life. Harmondsworth: Penguin.
Graen, G.B., and M. Uhl-Bien. 1995. Relationship-based approach to leadership: Development of leader-member exchange (LMX) theory of leadership over 25 years: Applying a multi-level multi-domain perspective. The Leadership Quarterly 6(2): 219–247.
Hunt, J.G., and G.E. Dodge. 2000. Organizational management. In Encyclopedia of psychology, vol. 6, ed. A.E. Kazdin, 3–9. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Judge, T.A., R.F. Piccolo, and T. Kosalka. 2009. The bright and dark sides of leader traits: A review and theoretical extension of the leader trait paradigm. The Leadership Quarterly 20(6): 855–875.
Kahneman, D., and G. Klein. 2009. Conditions for intuitive expertise: A failure to disagree. American Psychologist 64(6): 515–526.
Kerr, S., C.A. Schriesheim, C.J. Murphy, and R.M. Stogdill. 1974. Toward a contingency theory of leadership based upon the consideration and initiating structure literature. Organizational Behavior and Human Performance 12(1): 62–82.
Liden, R.C., R.T. Sparrowe, and S.J. Wayne. 1997. Leader–member exchange theory: The past and potential for the future. In Research in personnel and human resources management, vol. 15, ed. G.R. Ferris, 47–119. Greenwich: JAI Press.
Locke, E.A. 2002. Setting goals for life and happiness. In Handbook of positive psychology, ed. C.R. Snyder and S.J. Lopez, 299–312. New York: Oxford University Press.
Locke, E.A. 2003. Foundations for a theory of leadership. In The future of leadership development, ed. S.E. Murphy and R.E. Riggio, 29–46. Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Locke, E.A., and J. Woiceshyn. 1995. Why businessmen should be honest: The argument from national egoism. Journal of Organizational Behavior 16(5): 405–414.
MacIntyre, A. 1985. After virtue, 2nd ed. London: Duckworth.
MacIntyre, A., and A. Voorhoeve. 2009. The illusion of self-sufficiency. In Conversations on ethics, ed. A. Voorhoeve, 111–131. New York: Oxford University Press.
Molyneaux, D. 2003. “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth”: An aspiration applicable to business? Journal of Business Ethics 48(4): 347–363.
Morrison, A. 2001. Integrity and global leadership. Journal of Business Ethics 31(1): 65–76.
Neubert, M., D. Carlson, K. Kacmar, J. Roberts, and L. Chonko. 2009. The virtuous influence of ethical leadership behavior: Evidence from the field. Journal of Business Ethics 90(2): 157–170.
Oakley, J., and D. Cocking. 2001. Virtue ethics and professional roles. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Provis, C. 2010. Virtuous decision making for business ethics. Journal of Business Ethics 91: 3–16.
Sherman, S.P. 1989. Inside the mind of Jack Welch. Fortune 119(7): 38–50.
Sims, L., and A.J. Sinclair. 2008. Learning through participatory resource management programs: Case studies from Costa Rica. Adult Education Quarterly 58(2): 151–168.
Solomon, R.C. 1999. A better way to think about business. New York: Oxford University Press.
Solomon, R.C. 2005. What’s character got to do with it? Philosophy and Phenomenological Research 71(3): 648–655.
Sparrowe, R.T. 2005. Authentic leadership and the narrative self. The Leadership Quarterly 16(3): 419–439.
Sparrowe, R.T., and R.C. Liden. 1997. Process and structure in leader–member exchange. The Academy of Management Review 22(2): 522–552.
Suhler, C.L., and P.S. Churchland. 2009. Control: Conscious and otherwise. Trends in Cognitive Sciences 13(8): 341–347.
Takala, T. 1998. Plato on leadership. Journal of Business Ethics 17(7): 785–798.
Tekleab, A.G., and M.S. Taylor. 2003. Aren’t there two parties in an employment relationship? Antecedents and consequences of organization–employee agreement on contract obligations and violations. Journal of Organizational Behavior 24(5): 585–608.
Toor, S.R., and G. Ofori. 2009. Ethical leadership: Examining the relationships with full range leadership model, employee outcomes, and organizational culture. Journal of Business Ethics 90(4): 533–547.
Uhl-Bien, M. 2006. Relational leadership theory: Exploring the social processes of leadership and organizing. The Leadership Quarterly 17(6): 654–676.
Uhl-Bien, M., and J.M. Maslyn. 2003. Reciprocity in manager–subordinate relationships: Components, configurations, and outcomes. Journal of Management 29(4): 511–532.
van Breukelen, W., B. Schyns, and P. Le Blanc. 2006. Leader–member exchange theory and research: Accomplishments and future challenges. Leadership 2(3): 295–316.
Watson, T.J. 2003. Ethical choice in managerial work: The scope for moral choices in an ethically irrational world. Human Relations 56(2): 167–185.
Whetstone, J.T. 2001. How virtue fits within business ethics. Journal of Business Ethics 33(2): 101–114.
Yukl, G., and D.D. Van Fleet. 1992. Theory and research on leadership in organizations. In Handbook of industrial and organizational psychology, vol. 3, 2nd ed, ed. M.D. Dunnette and L.M. Hough, 147–197. Palo Alto: Consulting Psychologists Press.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2013 Springer Netherlands
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Fein, E.C. (2013). Virtue Ethics in Leadership Operations: A Pathway for Leadership Development. In: Harris, H., Wijesinghe, G., McKenzie, S. (eds) The Heart of the Good Institution. Issues in Business Ethics, vol 38. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-5473-7_6
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-5473-7_6
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-007-5472-0
Online ISBN: 978-94-007-5473-7
eBook Packages: Humanities, Social Sciences and LawPhilosophy and Religion (R0)