IMPACT OF RESPONSIBLE WOMEN LEADERSHIP ON ETHICAL DECISION-MAKING: A CASE STUDY OF NYKAA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.69980/1q9xzv84Keywords:
Responsible Leadership, Ethical Governance, Women Leadership, Stakeholder Trust, SustainabilityAbstract
The growing emphasis on corporate governance, ethical accountability, sustainability, and stakeholder-oriented business models has intensified scholarly interest in responsible leadership within emerging-market enterprises. This study examines the impact of responsible women's leadership on ethical decision-making through a qualitative case analysis of Nykaa, India’s female-led beauty and lifestyle digital enterprise. Integrating Responsible Leadership Theory, Ethical Leadership Theory, and Stakeholder Theory, the study develops an integrated framework linking leadership orientation with ethical governance systems, stakeholder trust, market legitimacy, strategic differentiation, and sustainable organisational performance. The study employs a qualitative single-case methodology supported by governance disclosures, financial indicators, market share trends, sustainability metrics, and industry-based comparative evidence. Nykaa was selected because of its rapid organisational growth, publicly documented governance transformation, female-led executive structure, and strong visibility in India’s digital retail ecosystem. Findings indicate that responsible women leadership strengthens ethical governance through transparency mechanisms, authenticity controls, accountability structures, ESG orientation, and stakeholder-responsive decision-making. The results further show that Nykaa’s inventory-led model, omnichannel expansion, private-label development, and governance-led branding contributed to stakeholder trust, competitive legitimacy, and sustainable business growth. The study contributes by developing an integrated leadership–governance–sustainability framework applicable to emerging-market digital enterprises. Findings provide managerial implications for ethical governance, stakeholder accountability, trust-driven branding, and sustainable organisational competitiveness. Overall, the study positions responsible women leadership as both an ethical construct and a strategic governance capability.
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