What is Culturally Contingent

Globalization has amplified interdependence among nations, creating an increasing need for leaders to function in a variety of cultures. Leaders face ever-expanding complexities and challenges, many of which include ethical dimensions. Lapses in ethical leadership in recent decades have resulted in the destruction of companies and harm to individuals, societies, and economies. Although many leadership theories have been offered to date, scholars and practitioners still search for answers to failed leadership. A recent theoretical construct of ethical leadership has been proposed that may offer a solution (Brown, Trevino, & Harrison, 2004; Trevino, Brown, & Hartman, 2003). This chapter addressed these issues by exploring ethical leadership as a viable theory that may be considered for use across cultures. Research consisted of interviews with experienced international managers who also held MBA degrees. The results led to recommendations for international managers in leadership positions as well as directions for future research.