| Abstract [eng] |
This master’s thesis analyzes the concept of ethical leadership and its expression within Non-formal Children’s Education (Music and Art) (hereafter – NFCE) institutions, exploring the perspectives of both educational leaders and employees. Object of the research – Ethical leadership in NFCE institutions. Aim of the research – to analyze the concept of ethical leadership and to investigate the features of ethical leadership from the viewpoints of educational leaders and employees in NFCE institutions. In pursuit of the research aim, the author examines the concept and the theoretical models of ethical leadership, seeks to identify the essential features of ethical leadership and determine their forms of expression, analyzes national and institutional legal documents regulating ethical leadership principles in NFCE institutions, explores which ethical leadership traits are highlighted by managers and employees. The structure of the thesis consists of an introduction, three main parts, conclusions, recommendations and a discussion. The research is illustrated with 7 figures, 24 tables and includes 9 appendices. A total of 164 sources were used for analysis, including 110 by foreign authors. The theoretical part emphasizes that scientific research underlines the importance of ethical leadership as it enhances organizational effectiveness and efficiency, fosters employees’ trust, commitment and job satisfaction, positively influences overall performance. Consequently, ethical leadership has garnered wide attention in various contexts, including educational institutions. This thesis discusses the features and methods of ethical leadership and how it can be applied in educational institutions, revealing which ethical traits managers exhibit in their daily work and which leadership characteristics are identified by employees. The empirical part employed a qualitative research methodology consisting of three stages: literature search and analysis, analysis of national and institutional documents, semi-structured interviews. Eighteen national-level legal acts and 18 institutional documents (strategic plans, internal regulations, and codes of ethics) from seven NFCE institutions were analyzed. Fourteen educational leaders and employees from NFCE institutions participated in the study. The research findings indicate consensus on the main features of ethical leadership (honesty, fairness, respect, and community). Nevertheless, certain differences were observed: educational leaders tend to emphasize the formal organizational dimension (administrative management, document preparation, wage calculation, annual performance reviews), whereas employees give priority to interpersonal relationships, emotional support and transparent workload distribution. The thesis concludes with findings and recommendations. |
