Ethical Leadership as a Cross-Cultural Leadership Style

Although many leadership theories have been offered to date, scholars and practitioners still search for answers to failed leadership. A recent theoretical construct of ethical leadership has been proposed that may offer a solution (Brown, Trevino, & Harrison, 2004; Trevino, Brown, & Hartman, 2003). The increasing number of global companies adds a further dimension to the study of leadership, one that considers the impact of various country cultures. The study outlined in this chapter addressed both issues by exploring ethical leadership as a viable theory that may be considered for use across cultures. Research consisted of interviews with experienced international managers who also held MBA degrees. Results led to recommendations for international managers in leadership positions as well as directions for future research.