Transformational, Transactional, and Ethical Leadership in Sustainable Family Entrepreneurship: A Global Systematic Review

Leadership plays a central role in the long-term sustainability of family enterprises, yet existing evidence is fragmented across contexts and methodologies. This systematic review synthesizes empirical findings on leadership practices that support sustainable family entrepreneurship. The objectives are to identify available evidence on leadership in sustainable family enterprises, describe the methodologies employed, and examine how leadership is perceived and enacted across global contexts. The review followed PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Searches were conducted on 28 January 2025 on Scopus, Web of Science, EBSCOHost, and ProQuest. Eligibility criteria included empirical studies, full accessibility, publication in English, non-duplicated records, and relevance to leadership in sustainable family enterprises. Twenty-six studies met the inclusion criteria. Data extraction focused on context, methodology, leadership evidence, and key findings. Studies spanning Asia, Europe, Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East indicate that leadership strongly shapes sustainability outcomes in family firms. Three core leadership dimensions emerged: transformational leadership, which promotes innovation, engagement, affective commitment, and continuity; transactional leadership, which supports governance, succession planning, operational control, and performance; and ethical leadership, which fosters trust, shared values, and social responsibility. Cross-cutting themes include gendered leadership contributions, succession risk management, and cultural influences. Sustainable family enterprises rely on multidimensional leadership integrating these approaches, reinforced by structured succession processes, value alignment, and human capital investment.