Challenges to Ethical Leadership Under Business Uncertainty: A Case Study of Blusmart Mobility
Published: 2026
Author(s) Name: Milin Rakesh Prasad and Rajasekhar David |
Author(s) Affiliation: Doctoral Scholar, Indian Institute of Management, Ranchi, India.
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Abstract
Uncertainty defines entrepreneurial markets, especially for sustainability-driven start-ups. BluSmart Mobility, India’s first all-electric ride-hailing platform launched in 2019, illustrates both the promise and risks of this space. With ambitions to decarbonize urban transport, the company expanded its electric fleet, secured investor backing, and introduced initiatives such as Project Sakhi to enhance social sustainability. Yet rapid growth exposed vulnerabilities in funding, governance, driver welfare, and ethical oversight. This paper applies the 4V Model of Ethical Leadership (Values, Vision, Voice, and Virtue), to assess how BluSmart navigated these challenges using secondary data. The analysis examines tensions between sustainability ideals and financial pressures, the alignment of vision with investor expectations, the extent of stakeholder inclusion, and the testing of ethical claims amid governance lapses.
Keywords: N.A.
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