Date

4-7-2026

Department

Rawlings School of Divinity

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Christian Leadership (PhD)

Chair

Don Bosch

Keywords

Morality, ethics, transactional leadership, transformational leadership, Adult Learning Theory, Christian leadership, faith integration

Disciplines

Leadership Studies

Abstract

In an era where ethical failures in business can destabilize markets and damage public trust, understanding how future leaders develop moral clarity is becoming increasingly urgent. Transformational leadership highlights relational influence and purpose, while transactional leadership provides structural clarity that supports organizational operations. Morality, broadly defined as adherence to a standard of righteousness, remains essential for leadership in commerce, policy, and organizational contexts. This qualitative phenomenological study looked into how business and management students experience leadership development, moral decision-making, and faith integration in their academic and personal lives. Students enrolled in accredited colleges and universities were interviewed, and transcripts were analyzed with qualitative software to help with coding and identify themes among participants. Results showed that transformational leadership encourages relational engagement, ethical reflection, and purpose formation, whereas transactional leadership appeared limited in fostering moral or developmental growth. Faith integration (FI) served as a guiding framework that helped students navigate moral complexity, align decisions with internalized values, and connect leadership development to a sense of meaning and calling. These findings inform leadership education, curriculum design, and ethical practice by emphasizing leadership as a relational, values-driven process.

Download

Share

COinS