Soulful Organizations: A Multidimensional Framework For Ethical And Sustainable Leadership In The 21st Century

Abstract

In a context marked by technological acceleration, pressure for immediate results, and the erosion of trust, many organizations have intensified their discourse on purpose, values, and wellbeing. However, a relevant gap persists between humanistic rhetoric and the day-to-day practice of leadership, governance, and culture. This paper proposes the theoretical construct “Soulful Organizations” as a humanistic paradigm applicable to management and leadership, defining “organizational soul” not as a religious concept, but as an observable cultural quality that integrates ethical coherence, collective human dignity, care, truth, a living purpose, and social responsibility. Through an integrative review of the literature on ethical and responsible leadership, organizational culture, meaningful work, psychological safety, wellbeing, and sustainability, a multidimensional framework with eight dimensions (EAO) is developed and influence mechanisms on key outcomes are described: wellbeing, engagement, trust, reputation, and sustainable performance. In addition, artificial intelligence (AI) is conceptualized as an amplifying factor, and human-centered AI governance is introduced as a critical condition to avoid dehumanization risks. The contribution is threefold: (i) an operational definition and boundaries of the construct, (ii) a conceptual model with testable propositions, and (iii) an empirical blueprint for validation (EAO scale development, psychometric strategies, multilevel longitudinal designs, and culture-intervention studies). Managerial implications are discussed for translating values into systems, incentives, and decisions.