Generational ethics: A phenomenological study of the perceptions of Texas public school superintendents on ethical leadership

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2015-05

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Abstract

The landscape of educational leadership is constantly evolving and public school systems are more diverse than ever. Educational leaders such as public school superintendents are tasked with leading these diverse organizations where varying views of what is ethically and morally acceptable and unacceptable are in no shortage. School superintendents are often faced with numerous decisions that draw on their personal value systems and push the limits of their own ethical ideologies. Another diverse aspect of public school organizations that is often overlooked or disregarded is generational diversity. The education workforce of the United States is currently comprised of four generational cohorts: Veterans, Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Generation Y. Each generational group possesses varying life experiences and mindsets that relate to a plethora of topics, including ethical leadership. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study is to better understand what values Texas superintendents from four generational cohorts perceive as indicative of ethical leadership based on the perspective derived through their own lived experiences. The focus of this study targets how these superintendents conceptualize ethical leadership and how their own ethical leadership has been influenced by experiences related to their generational cohort affiliation. Through this research study, the intersection of these two theories was posited in such a way that the lived experiences of the generational cohort members provided a personal perspective into how generational theory and ethical theory intertwine.

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Keywords

Generational cohort, Generational diversity, Ethical leadership, Educational leadership, Superintendent leadership

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