The Nexus Between Women Empowerment and Ethical Leadership from Pakistan’s Cultural Lens in Contemporary Times

Abstract

This study examined the impact of women empowerment on ethical leadership within higher educational institutions (HEI), using a cultural lens in Pakistan’s context. The study explored how social identity, individual agency, and resource availability influence women leadership behavior in the local context. This study model has theoretical underpinnings in empowerment theory and Hofstede's cultural dimensions. The study technique was quantitative, and a cross-sectional design was adopted. A quantitative survey of 351 female teachers was carried out from ten large Higher Education Institutes of Lahore, Pakistan.  Data was analyzed with advanced statistical tests. Multicollinearity and common method bias (CMV) were eliminated, and the construct validity and reliability were validated. The results indicated that women empowerment and ethical leadership qualities, including honesty, equity, and responsibility, are strongly and statistically significantly correlated. It was found that Hofstede's masculinity-femininity cultural dimension has a considerable impact on this relationship, with more noticeable impacts in feminine cultural contexts, according to moderation analysis. The study also provides important insights into how cultural norms can either enhance or limit empowered women capacity for Ethical leadership. The study concluded with practical policy recommendations for educational institutions, stressing the necessity of structural changes, inclusive leadership training, and culturally sensitive empowerment techniques to maintain ethical governance.