Moral Development
Abstract
There is an increase in the study of servant leadership due to its moral and service dimensions. However, research on the moral dimension is inadequate. Hence, this study explored the moral dimension of servant leadership, emphasising the need for moral development (MD) practices in business organisations. The study is underpinned by the ethics of justice theory and three normative ethical theories. To conceptualise the leadership-focused moral model, or servant leadership moral compass (SLMC), elements from servant leadership measurement scales and moral philosophical theories were reviewed and synthesised. The core result shows that servant leaders must be virtuous and make justifiable decisions that yield ethical outcomes. SLMC aims to enable practitioners to discuss ethical behaviours and promote MD.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Ethics in Business and Education
Workplace Spirituality and Leadership
Leadership and Management in Organizations
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Routledge eBooks
- Pages
- 178–200
- Publication date
- 11 February 2026
- Language
- EN
- Document type
- Book chapter