Resumo

BHENGU, Sicelo; MTHIYANE, Siphiwe  e  KRUGER, Johan. Establishing ethical workplaces: Insights from independent school leaders and educators. Koers (Online) [online]. 2026, vol.91, n.1, pp.1-14. ISSN 2304-8557.  https://doi.org/10.19108/KOERS.91.1.2622.

The researchers viewed and analysed the data through a Christian lens. A qualitative ethnographic case study approach was used within an interpretivist paradigm to investigate how school leaders and educators understand and practise ethical leadership to foster an ethical working environment. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with principals, deputy principals, and educators from two independent schools, presenting rich insights into participants' lived experiences of their school environment. The conclusions from the data indicate that ethical leadership is most effective when grounded in values such as integrity, accountability, and servant leadership, which are associated with Christian principles. Such leadership is a prerequisite to fostering an ethical work environment typified by trust, respect, and a shared moral purpose. The study also exposed trepidations within faith-based schools, specifically where institutional Christian identities overlap with managerial or market-driven imperatives. In addition, there was an unwillingness to raise discontent with leadership conduct, which underlines concerns about voice, agency, and the presence (or absence) of a "speak-up" culture.

Palavras-chave : accountability; ethical culture; ethical leadership.

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