Ethically Challenging Situations and Ethical Leadership Among Nursing, Teaching, and ICT Staff

Kati Päätalo () and Reetta Saarnio
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Kati Päätalo: Oulu University of Applied Sciences
Reetta Saarnio: Oulu University of Applied Sciences

Chapter 15 in Positive Leadership, 2026, pp 311-333 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract Employees and organizations face ethically challenging situations, which can cause ethical strain. Ethical strain and negative emotions have effects on work ability, but interventions in organizations are lacking. This challenges leaders to implement ethical leadership, which is linked to positive leadership through its moral dimension. The aim of the study presented in this chapter is to describe employees’ experiences of ethically unsatisfying situations and related emotions in different sectors. Qualitative data (N = 143) was collected from nurses in older people care (n = 40), primary school teachers (n = 68), and ICT professionals (n = 35). Ethically unsatisfying situations vary depending on the work done. Situations were also divided into four common themes: object of work, work community, organizational practices, and networks. In conclusion, leaders are challenged to create an ethical organizational culture and organizational practices where sources of ethical strain, especially ethically burdensome type B-dilemmas, are minimized and success with the object of work is ensured.

Keywords: Emotions; Ethical leadership; Ethical strain; Ethical stress; Work ability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:sprchp:978-3-032-02369-8_15

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DOI: 10.1007/978-3-032-02369-8_15

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