Dearing identified six aims for higher education, one of which is “transmitting a common culture and common standards of citizenship”; these, together with other more specific aims identified by Dearing, ensure that education is a process that is value‐laden. This is a timely text that explores the underlying philosophies and the assumptions that they make about human nature and the relationship between the individual and the organization. It is refreshing to come across a text exploring leadership that seriously covers the issue of ethics.
This text, which is edited by Paul Begley, brings together some of the most significant writers in this field. The text is in three sections, each of which contains a useful introductory chapter. The five chapters in each section are thought provoking in their astute handling of the issues surrounding leadership and ethics. This is a text that deserves to be considered by all those lecturing in, or involved in, educational administration and management. Especially as it is a text that could easily be overlooked by the practising academic in the mistaken belief that it is all about philosophical issues that have only a marginal relevance to the day‐to‐day work of the academic or manager at the coal‐face.
