Ethical leadership in educational organizations: A cross-cultural study

Year 2021, , 37 - 57, 31.01.2021

Ahmet Göçen

https://doi.org/10.19128/turje.811919

Cited By: 6

Abstract

The goal of this study is to examine how educators from both Eastern and Western cultures define ethical leadership and which characteristics they associate with ethical leaders. This study also explores ethical examples of educators, tries to answer if major events like Covid-19, high-technology, migration have changed their ethical perceptions, and lastly, examines their reactions to unethical conduct. This qualitative study employed a phenomenological research design. Data collection using semi-structured interviews and open-ended surveys was conducted with 51 educators from Eastern and Western countries. The findings indicate that the attributes of ethical leadership, like honesty, respect, fairness, and justice, are endorsed across both cultures. Other attributes, like flexibility, religiosity, and responsibility, were articulated by the educators from the Eastern sample, while rationality, team spirit and ability to listen were highlighted in the Western sample. The participants recounted their experiences of ethical leadership around several themes, some of which are a friendly approach, equality, defending the rights of others, and standing for right. They specified their different responses to unethical acts and mainly believe that ethics are constant throughout history.

Keywords

Academics, Cross-cultural examination, Ethical leadership, Teachers

Eğitim kurumlarında etik liderlik: Kültürler arası bir çalışma

Abstract

Bu çalışmanın amacı, hem Doğu hem de Batı kültürlerinden eğitimcilerin etik liderliği nasıl tanımladıklarını ve etik liderlerle hangi özellikleri ilişkilendirdiklerini incelemektir. Bu çalışma aynı zamanda eğitimcilerin etik olarak gördükleri örnekleri araştırmakta, Covid-19, yüksek teknoloji, göç gibi önemli olayların onların etik algılarını değiştirip değiştirmediğine ilişkin soruları yanıtlamakta ve son olarak katılımcıların etik olmayan davranışlara karşı gösterdikleri tepkileri incelemektedir. Bu nitel çalışmada fenomenolojik desen kullanılmıştır. Doğu ve Batı ülkelerinden 51 öğretmen ve akademisyene açık uçlu sorular yöneltilmiş ve bir kısmıyla yarı yapılandırılmış görüşmeler gerçekleştirilmiştir. Bulgular; dürüstlük, saygı, adalet ve adalet gibi bazı etik liderlik niteliklerinin her iki kültürde de vurgulandığını göstermektedir. Esneklik, dindarlık, sorumluluk gibi özellikler Doğu örneklemindeki eğitimciler tarafından ifade edilirken, Batı örnekleminde mantıksallık, takım ruhu ve dinleme becerisi vurgulanmıştır. Katılımcılar, etik olarak algıladıkları olayları dostane yaklaşım, eşitlik, başkalarının haklarını savunma ve haklı için durma gibi çeşitli temalar etrafında açıklamıştır. Katılımcılar etik olmayan eylemlere ilişkin farklı tepkilerini belirtmiş ve genel olarak etiğin tarih boyunca değişmediğine inanmaktadırlar.

Keywords

Akademisyenler, Etik liderlik, Kültürler arası inceleme, Öğretmenler

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