The Wisdom of the Collective: An Integrated Multi-Level Framework of Shared Leadership in Engineering Management Project Teams

Abstract

Shared leadership is positioned as a promising field of research. In recent years scholarly interest in shared leadership has grown exponentially. However, studies on shared leadership are limited and underdeveloped in the engineering management context. To advance a holistic understanding of shared leadership in engineering management project teams, this study conducted a systematic, integrated review of 256 articles on shared leadership spanning 25 years (1998–2022). By doing so, we present a synthesis of the definitions of shared leadership; an evaluation of its measurement techniques; and an examination of the research designs (e.g. article types, research strategies, research disciplines and sample types) utilized in shared leadership studies. Moreover, we map shared leadership studies onto a multi-level framework that integrates individual-level, team-level, project-level and organizational-level analyses in terms of its antecedents, consequences, mediating mechanisms and boundary conditions. This framework offers a roadmap for future studies to help researchers systematically target opportunities within the field of engineering management. Also, it brings important managerial implications for engineering management project managers and practitioners who seek to implement good practices in organizations.