TDNet Discover

The purpose of this qualitative case study is to investigate fraud-prevention strategies through the lens of ethical leadership and organizational culture, focusing on administrators and staff working in community-based nonprofit organizations in Central Florida. For the utility of this study, fraud prevention is the deliberate implementation of leadership practices, cultural norms, and organizational controls designed to reduce opportunities for financial misconduct and strengthen accountability. The theory guiding this study is Patrick’s theory of ethical leadership, as it emphasizes the relationship between leaders’ moral conduct and the organizational environment that shapes employee behavior. Organizational culture theory and the fraud triangle model will frame this study, providing a multidimensional understanding of the phenomenon. The primary research question is how ethical leadership and organizational culture contribute to fraud prevention strategies in nonprofit management. The setting will include community-based organizations in Central Florida, with a purposive sample of nonprofit leaders and staff selected to provide diverse perspectives. This study draws on the voices and experiences of nonprofit leaders through semi‑structured interviews, supported by insights from organizational documents and field observations. Data coding and interpretation will reveal themes that show how leadership behaviors, cultural norms, and fraud‑prevention efforts intersect in everyday practice. Through this process, the study will guide nonprofit organizations in building stronger systems of governance and accountability grounded in ethical leadership and cultural coherence.