Authoritarian Leadership Research Articles

Do voters support democracy at all costs? Input and output legitimacy in Australia and the United Kingdom

ABSTRACT Are voters willing to sacrifice democracy if they get everything else they want from their political leaders? Recent trends towards illiberalism in established democracies have called into question voters’ commitment to democratic values in the face of competing incentives like partisan identities and policy rewards. This article investigates whether voters tolerate breaches of democratic norms (input legitimacy) in the face of policy congruence with a potential leader (output legitimacy). Utilising a conjoint experiment fielded in Australia and the United Kingdom, we find that voters value both types of legitimacy but are prepared to forgo democratic governance (input legitimacy) for high levels of policy congruence (output legitimacy). This research contributes to the growing literature on democratic resilience and authoritarian leadership styles within democracies, showing that there is a danger of citizens trading away democratic principles even in seemingly stable and unchallenged democratic countries.

Mirrors and Mosaics: Deciphering Chinese and Russian Domestic Bloc-Building Narratives

Authoritarian states are intensifying bloc-building efforts. While the authoritarian regionalism literature suggests that membership in these “clubs of autocrats” can bolster domestic support for authoritarian leaders, such external recognition can also pose challenges, especially when aligning with “toxic” authoritarian partners. We argue that authoritarian regimes attempt to solve this problem by crafting strategic narratives and communicating them through regime-loyal media to the general public. The study examines strategic narratives of bloc building used by Russia and China in the first year after the start of the full-scale war in Ukraine in 2022. Using “text-as-data” methods and qualitative analysis, we find important similarities and differences in the narratives of these two countries. Both use narratives highly critical of the United States and NATO. However, while Russia has crafted a “fortress narrative” that focuses on external threats and non-Western resilience, China promotes a “bridge narrative,” advocating for spanning geopolitical gaps and championing global integration. Both narrative strategies converge in their criticism of shared adversaries but diverge in their portrayals of the blocs they lead.

Linguistics in L-A-P Research: An Analysis of Authority and Agency Dynamics in Leadership as it Happens

ABSTRACT This article shows how a methodological approach borrowed from the discipline of applied linguistics can contribute to L-A-P scholarship. It focuses on the role of ‘micro-processes in affecting turning points and changes in trajectories as a means of understanding leadership within collaborative processes.’ Working with a two-minute extract of naturally occurring spoken interaction, audio-recorded during a corporate strategy away-day, I use the empirical procedures and analytical tools of linguistics to provide an alternative vocabulary with which to describe practice. The study finds that the close study of language reveals important aspects of collaborative dynamics. Four discursive strategies are identified. Taken alongside the opening-closing dynamics these provoke, these describe how individual linguistic choices interconnect in the processual flow of the unfolding conversation. This linguistically informed empirical analysis extends our understanding of L-A-P by illustrating a means of studying the collaborative dynamics of leadership. These observations and interpretations have wider implications for scholars who seek to attend to the performative dynamics by means of which practice emerges. MAD statement This century, leadership scholars and practitioners have sought to better understand how practice actually emerges. In this study I show how a close study of language can contribute to developing a better understanding of the collaborative processes which produce leadership.

The Formation and Resilience of Law-Abiding Attitudes under Authoritarianism: The Case of Russia

Authoritarian leaders frequently send mixed messages about law. While official rhetoric typically emphasizes obeying law, leaders have proven willing to sidestep the law when it proves inconvenient. We explore the impact of this duality on the attitudes of Russian citizens, drawing on three rounds of the Russian Longitudinal Monitoring Survey. To identify the separate effects of cohort, age, and survey year, we use existing estimates of a function relating age to the predisposition to form new attitudes. Our results indicate that one factor driving Russians' attitudes on law-abiding is the strength of the Kremlin's messaging on the importance of obeying the law especially in their formative years. This effect would have been strongest for the oldest Russians. Yet, ceteris paribus, more years lived in Russia lead to declines in law-abiding attitudes. The net result of these two effects is that older Russians profess greater law abidingness. Putin's emphasis on obeying the laws on the books has left its mark in the increasing prevalence of law-abiding attitudes.

The legal foundations of the Francoist regime

The object of the study is the legal aspect of the Francoist political regime as an element of the form of the state (public relations in the field of governance of Francoist Spain), the subject is regulatory legal acts expressing the existing political system in the state. The authors of the article studied the regime of Francisco Franco and revealed its legislative framework, revealing the legal nature of authoritarianism in a single country, Spain, pointing to the concealment of the authoritarian nature of the dictatorship by democratic laws, as well as the abuse of the right to impose martial law or other emergency forms legalizing the usurpation of power. The relevance of the research topic lies in the possibility of using methods of legislative consolidation of a political structure, as well as substantiating the authoritarian legal nature of specific political regimes, forecasting prospects and modeling the development of dictatorships. The research is relevant for legal theorists and practitioners who substantiate the foundations of the constitutional order of states. The authors considered not the political, but the legal side of the rule of the Spanish speaker, introduced into scientific circulation new information about the norms of Spanish law of the Francoist period of the history of the relevant state. The methodological basis of the research is made of general scientific (comparison, analysis, synthesis, analogy, deduction, induction, and others) and special (formal logical, interpretation of law, and others), historical-legal, systemic, and other methods of cognition. The scientific novelty of the work is due to the analysis of the "Fundamental Laws of the Kingdom." The authors note that the law on succession to the throne provided for the possibility of the usurpation of supreme power in Spain by the Regency Council after the death of Francisco Franco. The purpose of the study is to identify legal methods of consolidating the authoritarian regime. The objectives of the research include the study of the normative legal acts that established the regime of Francisco Franco in Spain, as well as the relevant Russian and foreign doctrine on the topic of the scientific article. The fundamental laws of the Kingdom established the regime of Francisco Franco: a personalistic autocracy, making it stable for the duration of the dictator's life, while at the same time determining its gradual design and transformation in the future. The Francoist regime finally took shape by 1967 with the adoption of the Organic Law of the State, the last of the Fundamental Laws of the Kingdom, which came into force during the lifetime of the authoritarian leader.

Leadership Styles and the Level of Skills Awareness among Student Leaders at a State University

Leadership plays a crucial role in creating a vision, pursuing a mission, and establishing organizational strategies. People express their leadership styles in various ways. A leader's effectiveness is defined by their performance in directing and influencing activities to achieve objectives (Dabke, 2016). This quantitative study investigated the relationship between leadership styles and skills awareness among student leaders at a state university. Utilizing a structured questionnaire, the study examined four definite leadership styles: Authoritative, Democratic, Facilitative, and Situational, alongside an extensive Skills Awareness Scale. A purposive sample of 43 student leaders, primarily under the age of 23, were included in the study. Of these, 61.9 % were female and 38.1 % were male. To examine the relationships between skill awareness and leadership methods, data were gathered and analyzed using ANOVA, multiple regression, chi-square tests, and descriptive statistics. The results of the study showed a moderate level of general skills awareness (mean = 3.341), suggesting a considerable amount of room for skill development. Although student leaders showed flexibility to many leadership styles, the authoritative approach stood out as uniquely significant. Students with more authoritative tendencies are likely to have better skills awareness, according to a statistically significant link between skills awareness and authoritative leadership (r = 0.318, p .040). No statistically significant differences in leadership styles were found by the one-way ANOVA test (p =.193), suggesting that student leaders take a flexible, nuanced approach rather than rigidly following one leadership styles. With the exception of the authoritative style, the Kruskal-Wallis test further demonstrated that leadership styles do not substantially alter levels of skill awareness. These results highlight the value of focused leadership development initiatives that support student leaders in developing their skills, especially in establishing authoritative leadership traits. The study advances knowledge of the intricate relationships between developing student leaders' leadership styles and skill awareness.

Leadership in higher education and societal transformation—Universities as catalyst for societal well-being

Leadership and the academic freedom of the Universities in a digitally changing world are the generators of innovation in society. This study is a qualitative and quantitative empirical research of the Leadership at the public and private Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Kosovo, that examines their communication, authoritarian or liberal communication, and dominant perceptions and attitudes towards social, political, and financial strategies in HEI as a basis of social and economic wellbeing. The theory of research, as elaborated by Tight (2022), emphasizes the evolving nature of academic inquiry and the significance of context in shaping research practices. Waite (2013) highlights the pivotal role of communication strategies in determining the effectiveness of both democratic and authoritarian leadership styles. Effective communication in democratic leadership fosters transparency and collaboration, while in authoritarian leadership, it can be used to consolidate control and manage dissent The research was conducted at public and private HEI, through personal interviews and a structured questionnaire, which was carried out by the staff of higher management of HEI, academic staff, administrative staff, and students of the public and private Universities. The results demonstrated that academic and financial autonomy has a high impact on academic ethics and academic integrity and has a high impact on the increase of the economy and well-being in society, compared with the lack of academic and financial autonomy and interference of politics in the management of HEI which has an impact on lower quality and integrity of HEI in society. Leaders of Universities need to think about new leadership models more socially responsible and more ecologically sensible consumption oriented, from Society, to society for society.

The Crown must always win: Rethinking authentic leadership through ‘The Crown’ series

Abstract This research explores the theory of authentic leadership and the critiques on the theory by analyzing the portrayals of Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Diana, and Margaret Thatcher in season 4 of the Netflix’s series The Crown. Utilizing directed qualitative content analysis, we seek to understand how authenticity in leadership is manifested, its limitations, and the role of gender within this framework. The investigation highlights the challenges leaders face between expected role fulfillment and genuine self-expression. It explores the benefits and drawbacks of authenticity, the attribution of authenticity when the leaders deviate from the formal roles, the nature of the role as influencing the expression of authenticity (e.g., degrees of freedom associated with each role) and the complex interaction between gender and authenticity. In response to these findings, the concept of ‘leader bounded authenticity’ is proposed, suggesting a balance between adhering to the formal role and the display of authentic leadership.

The impact of team cohesion on athlete engagement in collegiate basketball leagues: the moderating role of paternalistic leadership

ObjectiveThis study investigates the impact of team cohesion on the engagement of college basketball players, and examines the moderating effects of authoritarian, benevolent, and moral leadership styles within paternalistic leadership on this influence. This provides theoretical insights for improving athlete engagement.MethodsData from 404 athletes participating in the 26th China Collegiate Basketball League were collected through a questionnaire survey and analyzed statistically.Results(1) Team cohesion has a significant positive impact on athlete engagement in collegiate basketball players. (2) Authoritarian leadership has a significant negative moderating effect on the relationship between team cohesion and athlete engagement in collegiate basketball players; the stronger the authoritarian leadership, the weaker the positive impact of team cohesion on athlete engagement in collegiate basketball players. This effect diminishes and becomes statistically insignificant when the authoritarian leadership score exceeds 5.88. (3) Benevolent leadership does not have a significant moderating effect between team cohesion and athlete engagement in collegiate basketball players. (4) Moral leadership has a significant positive moderating effect on the relationship between team cohesion and athlete engagement in collegiate basketball players; the higher the moral leadership, the stronger the positive impact of team cohesion on athlete engagement in collegiate basketball players, which becomes insignificant when the moral leadership score is below 2.75.ConclusionEnhancing team cohesion is an effective method to increase athlete engagement in collegiate basketball players. It is advisable for collegiate basketball coaches to refrain from adopting controlling and demeaning authoritative approaches, and instead, emphasize ethical leadership practices, continually enhancing their own abilities and virtues to serve as role models.

“Do leaders change?”: A review of the contrasting behaviors of political leaders in ordinary-extraordinary situations

The images of political leaders are affected by various factors such as their personality traits, leadership skills, behaviors, and attitudes. In times of crisis, the communication skills, leadership skills, and decision-making processes of political leaders are of great importance. The extraordinary situations brought about by the global pandemic constituted the focus of this study in order to determine and compare the behaviors of leaders in both ordinary and extraordinary conditions. In the study, the biographies, relevant scientific research, media, and official statements of the leaders of countries such as Germany, America, China, England, and Russia were transferred to the NVivo 10 program and examined, considering their pre-pandemic situations. The findings obtained reveal that the behaviors of leaders in ordinary and extraordinary situations vary. Angela Merkel moved away from stability during the period of uncertainty; Vladimir Putin maintained his authoritarian and oppressive leadership, but shifted from ideological leadership to pragmatic leadership. Boris Johnson, while defined as an ideological leader, has occasionally exhibited pragmatic behaviors. Donald Trump, on the other hand, adopted a pragmatic approach in ordinary times, but tried to strengthen this approach even further in extraordinary times.

The relationship of paternalistic leadership and organizational commitment

Paternalistic leadership is reported to have a favourable correlation with employee organisational commitment. This commitment is provided in exchange for the paternalistic leaders' care, attention, and protection of employees in both professional and personal contexts. Nonetheless, numerous further research have identified a negative tendency in this association. This research employed a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) utilising PRISMA as the principal procedure, identifying 16 articles published from 2014 to July 2024 that investigate the correlation between paternalistic leadership and organisational commitment. This relationship is delineated through two frameworks: firstly, paternalistic leadership induces varying degrees of employee organisational commitment; secondly, organisational commitment serves as a mediator between paternalistic leadership and other variables. From these two schemes, it is evident that (i) a positive correlation exists between benevolence and moral leadership and organisational commitment, albeit with variations in the types of commitment elicited by these leadership dimensions; (ii) authoritarian leadership elicits a negative reaction towards two forms of organisational commitment (affective and normative) among employees, while inducing a marginally positive response towards continuance commitment; and (iii) organisational commitment as a mediator exhibits a "inconclusive" effect.

Impact of Inclusive Leadership on Innovative Work Behavior with Mediating Role of Work Engagement and Moderating Role of Perceived Job Autonomy

This study aims to investigate the effect of inclusive leadership on innovative work behavior in the field of education. It was hypothesized that inclusive leadership will positively affect innovative work behavior, which will be mediated by work engagement and moderated by perceived job autonomy. A sample of workers is drawn from public educational institutions in Rawalpindi and Islamabad. A total of 300 samples participated in a questionnaire survey, the results of which were utilized to analyze the final data. Online surveys were used to get information from public sector workers. In this research, a non-probability sampling method is used. The imbalance between productivity, learning rate, quality, and performance is Pakistan's biggest problem. Our education system should support inclusive leadership. Because of authoritarian leadership, employees face numerous challenges and problems, and their creativity is harmed in this way, so in the context of Pakistan, this study has a significant impact. So, in employees' creativity, leadership plays a vital role, specifically inclusive leadership, and this research helps to understand this relationship. The idea of this research is unique: to understand the relationship between inclusive leadership and creativity so that organizations would be able to survive in a more complex environment. This research has a few limitations as well. The first limitation is that not all of them should have been included in this research. Small sample size is the second limitation, as data is collected only from one source. Cross-sectional data was the third limitation. The fourth limitation is that not all aspects of perceived job autonomy were used. Strategies that not only promote and elevate employee engagement but also make it a regular part of work should be put into place by organizations. Executives ought to recognize each worker's capacity for creativity.

A qualitative study of kindergarten teachers’ views on superintendents’ authority and power

PurposeThe study aimed to explore the authority and power of kindergarten superintendents in public education to elucidate their leadership dynamics.Design/methodology/approachSemi-structured interviews were conducted with 24 Israeli kindergarten teachers about the authority and power of their superintendents. Thematic analysis was used to construct a description of two overarching authority categories: formal and informal.FindingsWithin the realm of formal authority, two prevalent leadership types were discerned: bureaucratic management and management by exception. Each type incorporated distinct official strategies for influencing kindergarten teachers. Three predominant informal leadership types emerged – authoritarian, empowering and pedagogical – reflecting different unofficial approaches to influencing kindergarten teachers. The study elucidates the power base that underpins each leadership type, describing the resources superintendents use for influence and leverage.Originality/valueThe importance of the study lies in providing valuable insights into the authority and power of kindergarten superintendent leadership in a centralized public early childhood system.

The Effect of Upward Communication in Conflict Resolution: A Case Study of Employers and Employees in an Organization

This study investigates the role of upward communication and information sharing between staff members and management in workplace dispute resolution. The study emphasizes how psychological safety—a place where workers may voice concerns without fear of reprisal—fosters empowerment and accountability by looking at open and transparent communication. It also looks into how leadership styles affect how well people communicate, pointing out that although authoritarian leaders may stifle openness, personable leaders may foster it. Even with drawbacks like unclear channels and fear of reprisals, upward communication can promote trust, lessen frustration, and identify issues early on. Regular feedback sessions, conflict resolution training, and anonymous reporting systems are some methods for improvement. Statistical analyses using STATA software corroborate these results, highlighting the importance of efficient communication channels in fostering a supportive, cooperative, and productive work environment.

Measuring Gen Z Attitudes toward Corporate Social Advocacy in Advertising: #CommitToChange Campaign

Abstract: This study explores how advertising agencies’ corporate social advocacy (CSA) efforts impact emerging professionals’ expectations when transitioning into entry-level careers. It surveyed 373 undergraduate advertising, public relations, media, and journalism students (i.e., emerging professionals) at a large southeastern university. The research focuses on symmetrical internal communication practices in agencies moderated by leadership authenticity to foster positive employee-organization relationships (EOR). Findings suggest that emerging professionals anticipating organizations to promote positive EORs tend to show higher expected work engagement. However, this engagement hinges on emerging entry-level employees’ perception of authentic leadership communication. The study underscores the pivotal role of authentic leadership communication in shaping expectations and work engagement among emerging professionals in advertising agencies. This research contributes a unique perspective on advertising’s broader societal implications, particularly in understanding how CSA efforts resonate with emerging professionals who are considering the underrepresentation of Black leadership. By emphasizing the significance of authentic leadership and communication practices, the study enriches the scholarly dialogue on organizational behavior and societal dynamics within the advertising domain.

Discourse analysis of Joko Widodo's last state of the nation address 2024

In a dynamic political context, presidential speeches are crucial in shaping public perception and guiding policy. President Joko Widodo's latest speech on August 16, 2024 that was uploaded through the Presidential Secretariat's YouTube channel, has come under scrutiny for containing important elements relating to communication strategies and leadership legitimacy. This study aims to analyse the speech by exploring how Jokowi's distinctive rhetoric reflects his role in the political agenda. Using a qualitative approach and Van Dijk's critical discourse analysis technique, this study employs a socio-cognitive framework to guide the analysis. Lingual data was collected through free listening techniques, including transcription, observation, and research subject determination. Meanwhile, non-lingual data was obtained from credible news documents and analysed using hermeneutics and phenomenology methods. The results showed that Jokowi built his image as a responsive and effective leader through language that highlighted the successes and challenges of his leadership and built leadership authority by presenting himself as a skilful, strategic, and reality-based leader. This research contributes to understanding rhetorical strategies in political communication and leadership authority studies, with far-reaching implications for public perception and political dynamics.

Authoritarian leadership in projects: An integrated model to understand the team members’ task and innovative performance

Although authoritarian leadership (AL) behaviour is critical to organisational performance, its impact in different cultural contexts has received scant academic attention especially for managing bespoke projects which require temporary organisations to be formed. Drawing from self-determination and expectancy theories, this present research develops an integrated model to interpret the underlying impacts that the two dichotomous groups of ALs (i.e. discipline- and dominance-focused) have on project team members' task and innovative performance in China. The model developed was tested using the data collected from 316 Chinese project team members. Empirical evidence indicates that psychological empowerment acts as a ‘mediator’ via which the discipline- and dominance-focused ALs can positively and negatively affect the team members' task and innovative performance respectively. Additionally, the aforementioned indirect relationships are moderated by outcome expectancy, implying a positive interdependency between them. This research enriches an understanding of ALs and project team in terms of task completion and innovation and is useful for developing interventions to improve project team performance.

Twenty‐First Century Autocrats and Their Followers: A Comparative Inquiry

<p>Leadership and followership have long been considered to be defining features of democratic politics. However, more recently, both conceptual redefinitions and real-world developments have put issues of leadership and followership in regimes from beyond the family of established liberal democracies center-stage. This article looks into the nature of authoritarian leadership and followership from a comparative perspective and in light of theories of democratic political leadership. As the inquiry suggests, the rise and nature of leadership activities in contemporary authoritarian regimes reflects both the turn towards more competitive types of autocracy and the aspiration of many authoritarian powerholders to be seen as democratic. At the same time, some of the most spectacular manifestations of autocratic leadership relate to democratic rather than established authoritarian regimes. While followers of autocratic leaders can control their leaders only to the extent that a regime provides mechanisms of vertical accountability, authoritarian followers, even in established autocracies, are not in all regards less important or powerful than their democratic counterparts. Many authoritarian followers do not just support autocrats, but actively attack and chase non-followers or followers of other leaders, and thus play an independent role in the legitimation or de-legitimation of leaders and regimes.</p>

The Existence of the Corruption Eradication Commission Leadership in Investigations After the Enactment of Law Number 19 of 2019

This study aims to show how the existence of the KPK Leadership as investigators after the enactment of Law Number 19 of 2019 and what its implications are. The preparation of this research was carried out using the type of Normative Juridical research with a statute-approach, conceptual approach and case approach. Based on the research conducted, the authority of the KPK Leadership as investigators has been lost since the enactment of Law Number 19 of 2019 and has had an impact on the failure to realize legal certainty in handling corruption cases, especially in the investigation process. By understanding the concept of authority based on the principle of legality, and by comparing the regulation of authority in the KPK Law and the Prosecutor's Law, it can be seen that regulations must be written clearly in accordance with the principle of lex scripta. It is necessary to carry out reconceptualization and written regulations related to the authority of the KPK Leadership. This research is expected to be able to provide insight to the public and can be a reference for everyone to realize legal certainty, justice and benefits, especially in handling corruption cases.

Chasing the authoritarian spectre: Detecting authoritarian discourse with large language models

AbstractThe paper introduces a deep‐learning model fine‐tuned for detecting authoritarian discourse in political speeches. Set up as a regression problem with weak supervision logic, the model is trained for the task of classification of segments of text for being/not being associated with authoritarian discourse. Rather than trying to define what an authoritarian discourse is, the model builds on the assumption that authoritarian leaders inherently define it. In other words, authoritarian leaders talk like authoritarians. When combined with the discourse defined by democratic leaders, the model learns the instances that are more often associated with authoritarians on the one hand and democrats on the other. The paper discusses several evaluation tests using the model and advocates for its usefulness in a broad range of research problems. It presents a new methodology for studying latent political concepts and positions as an alternative to more traditional research strategies.