Publication

Cognitive capabilities of moral leaders in turbulent environments: a review, theory integration and way forward

Moral leadership
Ethical leadership
Authentic leadership
Servant leadership
Dynamic capabilities
Cognitive capabilities
Turbulent environment
2024

2024, Journal of Managerial Psychology, 39(8), pp.1046-1062

Résumé

This paper’s purpose is to challenge the traditional assumption in leadership studies that leaders’ traits and capabilities impact effectiveness irrespective of the environment in which they operate. We identify the cognitive capabilities (CCs) of moral leaders that increase their efficacy in turbulent environments. To identify these capabilities, we integrate the strategic management literature on dynamic managerial capabilities (DMCs) into the field of moral leadership. We explore the micro-foundations of DMCs—that is, the CCs of moral leaders that underpin their abilities to sense and seize opportunities and reconfigure organizations—and show that CCs are effective in environmental turbulence.