When ethical leaders are ‘no longer at ease’: the role of social vice in corruption through the lens of a Nigerian novel

Mukuka Kasonde; Kae Reynolds

When ethical leaders are ‘no longer at ease’: the role of social vice in corruption through the lens of a Nigerian novel

Mukuka Kasonde^*, Kae Reynolds

^*Corresponding author for this work

School of Business and Creative Industries

Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper › peer-review

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Abstract

This paper addresses the social context of corruption through literary analysis of Chinua Achebe’s (1960) novel No Longer at Ease. By exploring the societal influences that may lead an individual to engage in unethical behaviour, the analysis challenges the more predominant view of ethical failure as individual vice and reframes corruption as socially embedded. The analysis unfolds with a brief synopsis of the story, mapping out key plot points of leader-follower relationships and the process of the protagonist becoming corrupt. Secondly, an
analysis is presented of the protagonist as a leader and in the role of follower applying knowledge from the field of ethical leadership/followership. Finally, parallels are drawn with the recent, real life case of Kweku Adoboli, a Ghanaian banker convicted of fraud in the UK. Insights from the literary analysis are applied to a to highlight their relevance in the real world and broader understanding of corrupt leadership.

Original language	English
Publication status	Published - 2020
Event	British Academy of Management 2020 Conference in the Cloud: Innovating for a Sustainable Future - Virtual Duration: 2 Sept 2020 → 4 Sept 2020 https://www.bam.ac.uk/resource/get-ready-for-bam2020-in-the-cloud--conference-virtual-platform-and-app-are-now-live-.html (Event website.)

Conference

Conference	British Academy of Management 2020 Conference in the Cloud
Abbreviated title	BAM2020
Period	2/09/20 → 4/09/20
Internet address	https://www.bam.ac.uk/resource/get-ready-for-bam2020-in-the-cloud--conference-virtual-platform-and-app-are-now-live-.html (Event website.)

Keywords

Leadership
arts-based inquiry
corruption
ethical leadership
Ethics
African communitarianism
ethical followership
Chinua Achebe
social exchange

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

2020 05 11 Reynolds et al Ethical acceptedAccepted author manuscript, 325 KB

https://virtual.oxfordabstracts.com/#/event/1520/submission/265

Cite this

@conference{d65d4d935eba4b3ba595937f84e3a0e0,

title = "When ethical leaders are {\textquoteleft}no longer at ease{\textquoteright}: the role of social vice in corruption through the lens of a Nigerian novel",

abstract = "This paper addresses the social context of corruption through literary analysis of Chinua Achebe{\textquoteright}s (1960) novel No Longer at Ease. By exploring the societal influences that may lead an individual to engage in unethical behaviour, the analysis challenges the more predominant view of ethical failure as individual vice and reframes corruption as socially embedded. The analysis unfolds with a brief synopsis of the story, mapping out key plot points of leader-follower relationships and the process of the protagonist becoming corrupt. Secondly, ananalysis is presented of the protagonist as a leader and in the role of follower applying knowledge from the field of ethical leadership/followership. Finally, parallels are drawn with the recent, real life case of Kweku Adoboli, a Ghanaian banker convicted of fraud in the UK. Insights from the literary analysis are applied to a to highlight their relevance in the real world and broader understanding of corrupt leadership.",

keywords = "Leadership, arts-based inquiry, corruption, ethical leadership, Ethics, African communitarianism, ethical followership, Chinua Achebe, social exchange",

author = "Mukuka Kasonde and Kae Reynolds",

year = "2020",

language = "English",

note = "British Academy of Management 2020 Conference in the Cloud : Innovating for a Sustainable Future, BAM2020 ; Conference date: 02-09-2020 Through 04-09-2020",

url = "https://www.bam.ac.uk/resource/get-ready-for-bam2020-in-the-cloud--conference-virtual-platform-and-app-are-now-live-.html",

}

TY - CONF

T1 - When ethical leaders are ‘no longer at ease’

T2 - British Academy of Management 2020 Conference in the Cloud

AU - Kasonde, Mukuka

AU - Reynolds, Kae

PY - 2020

Y1 - 2020

N2 - This paper addresses the social context of corruption through literary analysis of Chinua Achebe’s (1960) novel No Longer at Ease. By exploring the societal influences that may lead an individual to engage in unethical behaviour, the analysis challenges the more predominant view of ethical failure as individual vice and reframes corruption as socially embedded. The analysis unfolds with a brief synopsis of the story, mapping out key plot points of leader-follower relationships and the process of the protagonist becoming corrupt. Secondly, ananalysis is presented of the protagonist as a leader and in the role of follower applying knowledge from the field of ethical leadership/followership. Finally, parallels are drawn with the recent, real life case of Kweku Adoboli, a Ghanaian banker convicted of fraud in the UK. Insights from the literary analysis are applied to a to highlight their relevance in the real world and broader understanding of corrupt leadership.

AB - This paper addresses the social context of corruption through literary analysis of Chinua Achebe’s (1960) novel No Longer at Ease. By exploring the societal influences that may lead an individual to engage in unethical behaviour, the analysis challenges the more predominant view of ethical failure as individual vice and reframes corruption as socially embedded. The analysis unfolds with a brief synopsis of the story, mapping out key plot points of leader-follower relationships and the process of the protagonist becoming corrupt. Secondly, ananalysis is presented of the protagonist as a leader and in the role of follower applying knowledge from the field of ethical leadership/followership. Finally, parallels are drawn with the recent, real life case of Kweku Adoboli, a Ghanaian banker convicted of fraud in the UK. Insights from the literary analysis are applied to a to highlight their relevance in the real world and broader understanding of corrupt leadership.

KW - Leadership

KW - arts-based inquiry

KW - corruption

KW - ethical leadership

KW - Ethics

KW - African communitarianism

KW - ethical followership

KW - Chinua Achebe

KW - social exchange

UR - https://www.bam.ac.uk/civicrm/event/info?id=3638

UR - https://youtu.be/jRN7vF0wFtU

UR - https://virtual.oxfordabstracts.com/#/event/1520/submission/265

M3 - Paper

Y2 - 2 September 2020 through 4 September 2020

ER -

When ethical leaders are ‘no longer at ease’: the role of social vice in corruption through the lens of a Nigerian novel

Abstract

Conference

Keywords

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

British Academy of Management (External organisation)

Principles for Responsible Management Education: PRME (External organisation)

Research Outputs

Kae Reynolds

Cite this

When ethical leaders are ‘no longer at ease’: the role of social vice in corruption through the lens of a Nigerian novel

Abstract

Conference

Keywords

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Activities

British Academy of Management (External organisation)

Principles for Responsible Management Education: PRME (External organisation)

Research Outputs

Profiles

Kae Reynolds

Cite this