TDNet Discover

The purpose of this phenomenologically influenced, non-experimental, thematic analysis is to explore how business leaders in profit-driven organizations interpret and apply Kantian ethical principles in decision-making. For the utility of this study, interpretation and application of Kantian ethics are defined as the ways leaders understand and enact moral duties grounded in universal law, autonomy, and respect for human dignity in contexts where financial performance is prioritized. The theoretical framework guiding the study integrated Kantian deontological ethics with virtue ethics, providing a dual lens that emphasizes both principled reasoning and character development. Using a qualitative, non-experimental, phenomenologically informed thematic analysis design, the study examines secondary data sources, including executive interviews, speeches, and autobiographies, to capture leaders’ lived experiences. The research questions focus on understanding Kantian concepts, navigating ethical dilemmas under financial pressure, and integrating character traits such as integrity and empathy into decision-making. Data will be collected from publicly available sources representing diverse industries and analyzed using NVivo software to identify themes aligned with Kantian principles and virtue ethics. The findings aim to contribute to ethical leadership theory and practice by offering insights into how moral duty and character inform decision-making in profit-driven environments.