Title: Ethical leadership, effectiveness and team performance: an Islamic perspective

Authors: Halil Zaim; Ahmet Demir; Taylan Budur

Addresses: American University of the Middle East, Egaila, Kuwait ' Tishk International University, Sulaimani, Kurdistan Region, Iraq ' Tishk International University, Sulaimani, Kurdistan Region, Iraq

Abstract: Ethical leadership is one of the influential factors on the organisational success. According to Al-Ghazali's conceptualisation justice, wisdom, temperance and courage have significant impact on the leader's effectiveness and in turn on team performance. In this respect, this study aims to investigate the relationship between ethical leadership and team performance with these virtues. Data of the study were collected from 408 employees among private companies in Kurdistan region of Iraq. Based on data analysis there is a positive correlation between ethical leadership (based on Islamic ethics) and leadership effectiveness and team performance. Regarding the dimensions of ethical leadership, justice, wisdom, and temperance are positively associated with leadership effectiveness and team performance whereas the relationship between courage and dependent variables is insignificant. The study contributes to ethical leadership and Islamic leadership literature by proposing a unique model based on Al-Ghazali's virtue of ethics perspective and providing empirical evidence regarding the effects of Islamic ethics on leadership effectiveness and team performance.

Keywords: ethical leadership; virtues theory of Al-Ghazali; Islamic ethics; justice; wisdom; courage; temperance; leadership effectiveness; team performance.

DOI: 10.1504/MEJM.2021.111991

Middle East Journal of Management, 2021 Vol.8 No.1, pp.42 - 66

Received: 23 Jan 2020
Accepted: 17 Feb 2020
Published online: 22 Dec 2020 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article