Western Leadership Research Articles

China's Emergence as a Key Player in the Global Order and its Impacts on Geopolitics in Central Asia

Recently, China has been expanding its tremendous power over the world politics and especially into the Central Asian countries with its rapidly growing economic capacity. The Chinese government has clear intentions to become a main player in regional geopolitical game in Central Asia along with the USA and Russia. On the other hand, the current Central Asian authoritarian rulers regard the expansion of Chinese order and values much welcoming compared to the Western leadership. Then, it is possibly expected that the region could go under the influence of China, both politically and economically. Such progress would bring interest collision with the rest super powers and force Russia and the USA to choose either competition or cooperation with China. After all, this might result in a totally new environment in the region “physically”: re-setting the current borders. Since Central Asian states are characterized by multi-ethnic composition in their populations, it is a possible scenario that the border can be re-arranged to accordance with an agreement among the US-Russia-China triangle.

A Cultural Contingency Leadership Model for Multinational Joint Ventures

Fieldler‘s (1967) contingency theory with its Least Preferred Coworker (LPC) instrument, while groundbreaking, has not been the subject of significant recent research in leadership theory. A significant opportunity to apply the theory to culturally contingent leadership (CCL) research has thus been missed as it is one of the few theories that contain a Western leadership model that addresses both the individualism of the West and the collectivism of the East. This research uses the framework provided by Triandis (1993) to capitalize on the values orientation of two organizational/leadership researchers, Hofstede (1980) and Fiedler. In the first step in developing a model which can be used by practitioners in the global environment to develop the leadership necessary for bi-national combinations of professionals working on, for instance, a joint venture, the relationship between the research of these pioneers was explored. Next, original research on the cultural values of almost 200 professionals from the United States and Germany was compared to research from both Hofstede (1980) and Hoppe's (1990) comprehensive replication of Hofstede's research on IBM employees. This was used to corroborate the contention by Hofstede and Peterson (2000) that existing research on cultural values can be used as long as there is a close match between the characteristics of the sample upon which the previous research was conducted and the current sample. Finally, using the established cultural values and the values generated by this research, a flowchart model developed through the use of the Triandis framework was employed to recommend CCL for teams of professionals from different countries which are involved in cooperative (joint) ventures by organizations representing predominately two national cultures.

Questioning Global Vaginahood: Reflections from Adapting The Vagina Monologues in Hong Kong

Drawing on the author's experience in devising a localized version of The Vagina Monologues in Hong Kong, this paper critically appraises the ‘global vaginahood’ in the globalization of The Vagina Monologues and the V-Day movement that reproduces a core-periphery relationship in the transnational women's movement. As a theatrical performance and a worldwide movement, these productions are remarkable for the manner in which they raise awareness about women's sexuality and violence against women in different parts of the world. Critical questions, however, remain on the rhetoric of universalism and the ethnocentric methods of the global campaign, with US women's experiences and agenda defining those of women in other parts of the world. As a worldwide campaign, the V-Day movement reproduces a hierarchical model between the global North and South, with an emphasis on Western leadership rather than coalition between partners with different experiences, priorities, and strategies. The paper argues that feminists may develop more effective coalitions with local women by recognizing and identifying locally derived creative efforts to respond to issues that are pertinent to their lives. As such, the paper is a push for dialogues in the V-Day campaign and transnational women's movement in general.

THINKING GLOBALLY, LEADING LOCALLY: CHINESE, INDIAN, AND WESTERN LEADERSHIP.

This study compares leadership capabilities across samples of Chinese, Indian, and Western CEOs and senior executives. Qualitative and quantitative data from a total of 91 CEOs offer rich detail to better understand leadership characteristics and behavior in different business contexts in an increasingly globalized world.

The G8 in a changing global economic order

The G8 has rather crept up on our consciousness as an agency of global governance. It was brought into being in 1975 in order to give western leadership to the global political economy at a time of uncertainty and drew Russia into its activities in order to demonstrate and symbolize the triumph of western capitalist liberal democracy over its rival Soviet system. In that sense the G8 constitutes the club of the winners of late twentieth century history. But it has long been beset by problems of legitimacy and efficiency. Some of the leaders of the current G8 states also recognize that global politics has moved on a long way since the settlements of 1945 and 1989 and increasingly acknowledge the need to address that changing reality. They recognize that some other powerful countries have grown up and that it is now in the interests of the dominant countries to accommodate a limited number of these new powers within the structure and norms of the contemporary governance of globalization. In this spirit the G8 has lately sought to incorporate Brazil, China, India, Mexico and South Africa into its affairs, dealing with them as ‘outreach’ partners within a process that has been dubbed the ‘G8 + 5’. For their part, these early twenty-iirst-century winners will have to show that they are willing to work within the framework of western leadership. That is what the ‘G8 + 5’ process is testing out. Only when, and if, these tests are passed will the formation of a G13 become a politically realistic possibility.

Perceptions of Effective Leaders: Cross Cultural Influences?

This paper suggests that values, attitudes and behaviours are strongly culture specific. Therefore, it is contended that if culture exerts an influence in behaviours and attitudes of people it will be evident in the way leadership is perceived or traits of effective leadership is distinguished in organisations around the world. In the Western leadership literature, effective leadership appears to be correlated with organisational performance and profitability, subordinate extra effort and subordinate satisfaction with the leader. The Western literature also suggests that the measure of effective leadership at an individual level involve rating “by subordinates, superiors and peers and leaders themselves” (Eagly, Karau, & Makhijani, 1995, p. 128). However, there is limited knowledge and specific details of leadership characteristics that may constitute effective leadership practices outside the West, nor how universal the Western theories and models may be beyond the Western settings. There is a need to expand the existing knowledge and findings to understand whether Western leadership behaviours and practices are acceptable, appropriate or relevant in other cultures. In order to address this broad topic, the present paper will explore the perceptions of effective leadership in two diverse cultures of Malaysia and Australia. The middle managers in four industry types participated in the present research and the study found differences within and between female and male middle managers in both countries in terms of how leadership effectiveness is perceived and evaluated.

A question of leadership: Are Western leadership development approaches appropriate in China, or might a Chinese approach be more effective?

A question of leadership: Are Western leadership development approaches appropriate in China, or might a Chinese approach be more effective?

Suzanne Miers. Slavery in the Twentieth Century: The Evolution of a Global Problem. Walnut Creek, Calif.: Altamira Press/Lanham, Md.: Rowman and Littlefield Publishers, 2003. 496 pp. Bibliography. Index. $35.95. Paper.

Suzanne Miers. Slavery in the Twentieth Century: The Evolution of a Global Problem. Walnut Creek, Calif.: Altamira Press/Lanham, Md.: Rowman and Littlefield Publishers, 2003. 496 pp. Bibliography. Index. $35.95. Paper. - Volume 47 Issue 2

Interrogating orthodox voices: gender, ethnicity and educational leadership

Research in educational leadership and management, while comprehensive in its scope and direction, has considerable imbalances that have contributed to what Blackmore (1999) has termed the monoculture of the powerful. The focus on the apparent intractability of leadership as a male domain and ways in which women have negotiated the gendered nature of their professional lives has provided opportunities for debate and the emergence of (oppositional) discourses that account for women's ways of knowing and leading. Yet, as this article argues, these discourses of privilege and opportunity have not accounted for trajectories of ethnicity and diversity. The critique of Western ethnocentric notions of leadership presented in this article is informed by debates on issues such as gender and educational leadership that have produced meta-narratives that explore and explain women and men's ways of leading. One of the troubling aspects of Western leadership theories is the claim that the functions and features of leadership can be transported and legitimated across homogenous educational systems. Despite changes that have been made in definitions and descriptions of educational leadership to provide a focus on gender, there is the implicit assumption that while educational leadership might be practised differently according to gender, these discourses essentially remain both raced and classed. Thus, the construct of educational leadership needs to be more broadly theorised in order for cross-cultural discourses to emerge.

The cross‐cultural transfer of management practices: the case for creative synthesis

Examines the interaction between Western leader ship and authority practices and those of a non Western culture (Nigeria) in their managerial and or ganisational context. Data concerning the experience of an organisational change in a non‐Western cultural context fail to confirm some of the ideas advanced in the convergence and divergence theses. An alternative framework for conceptualising the process of interaction and outcome of organisational development in situations of cross‐cultural transfer and application of management practices is proposed.

Leadership in the East and West: A Few Examples

The author has attempted to explore historical evidence to seek insights into differences in temperament and ethos between the Eastern and the Western leadership styles. In the process a comparative study of eight personalities (five each from the East and West), comprising nation builders, businessmen, entrepreneurs and politicians, has been done. These leaders have been selected in terms of their social milieu, standing the test of time, having given a sense of direction to their organizations and their leadership qualities, instead of just skills. It has been observed that the Eastern leaders have a spiritual underpinning with varying intensity. On the contrary, leaders from the West in comparable fields do not appear to show any inclination towards reconciliation of spiritual values with material goals. This also vindicates the hypothesis that the Eastern ethos is dominantly 'feminine-intuitive' whereas the Western ethos is primarily 'masculine-rational'.

Changing the deafening silence of indigenous women's voices in educational leadership

The critique of western ethnocentric notions of leadership presented in this paper is informed by debates on issues such as gender and educational leadership that have produced meta‐narratives that explore and explain women and men's ways of leading. One of the troubling aspects of western leadership theories is the claim that the functions and features of leadership can be transported and legitimated across homogenous educational systems. Despite changes that have been made in definitions and descriptions of educational leadership to provide a focus on gender, there is the implicit assumption that while educational leadership might be practised differently according to gender, there is a failure to consider the values and practices of indigenous educational leaders. Thus, the construct of educational leadership needs to be more broadly theorised in order for knowledge of indigenous ways of leading to emerge.

Western MBA Education and Effective Leadership Values in Developing Countries

Abstract The study seeks to develop a leadership portrait of MBA graduates from developing countries. It examines the congruence between the effective leadership values as perceived by MBA graduates from developing countries and expected, accepted and effective leadership styles in their cultures. One-Way ANOVA and Duncan Multiple Comparison analysis revealed that MBA graduates from developing countries have the tendency to embrace western leadership values without forsaking traditional indigenous values. The research provides evidence to suggest that western MBA education is contributing to the conformity to the latest leadership paradigms across cultures and thus the formation of a shared knowledge structure which reduce the variability of future managers' perceptions towards leadership styles. The study seeks to develop a leadership portrait of MBA graduates from developing countries. It examines the congruence between the effective leadership values as perceived by MBA graduates from developing countries and expected, accepted and effective leadership styles in their cultures. One-Way ANOVA and Duncan Multiple Comparison analysis revealed that MBA graduates from developing countries have the tendency to embrace western leadership values without forsaking traditional indigenous values. The research provides evidence to suggest that western MBA education is contributing to the conformity to the latest leadership paradigms across cultures and thus the formation of a shared knowledge structure which reduce the variability of future managers' perceptions towards leadership styles.

ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP AND AUTHORITY RELATIONS ACROSS CULTURES: BEYOND DIVERGENCE AND CONVERGENCE

This article examines the interaction between Western leadership and authority practices and those of a non‐Western culture in their managerial and organizational contexts. Specifically, it examines the mechanism for organizational commitment through the use of a non‐Western authority relationship in a Western organization situated in a non‐Western culture. Data concerning the experience of an organizational change in a non‐Western cultural context fail to confirm some of the ideas advanced in the divergence and convergence thesis. An alternative framework for conceptualizing the process of interaction and outcome of organizational development in situations of cross‐cultural transfer and application of management practices is proposed.

Leadership behaviour in Eastern Europe: Finnish expatriates' experiences in Russia and Estonia

Radical transformation of East European economies has caused extensive pressures on local organizations and managers to adapt to the requirements of free markets. It has also been reported that some fundamental changes in management principles have already appeared within this area, but mostly our understanding of East European managerial methods and behaviour is very limited. Furthermore, more and more Western companies are operating in East European markets and strive to produce required changes in the attitudes and behaviours of the local work force. Against this background, the present study reports experiences of Finnish expatriates on typical leadership styles of Russian and Estonian managers. On the average, these managers are reported to be less active than their Finnish colleagues in most forms of leadership behaviour proposed by Western leadership theories. In the end, pressures faced by expatriates to change their own leadership style when leading Russian and Estonian employees are presented.

Guanxi and professional leadership in contemporary Sino-American joint ventures in mainland China

In Sino-American joint ventures in mainland China, cross-cultural differences regarding the relational components can produce misunderstanding and conflict. The Chinese relational system called Guanxi can render Western leadership relations such as articulated in Leader-member Exchange Theory (LMX), compromised. We examine the roles of a post modern organization career-based leadership relationship (LMX) and the Confucianism supported feudal/family-based relationship ( guanxi) in building successful organizational cultures in contemporary mainland China. We discuss the weakening of traditional guanxi by the events of the last fifty years. Recommendations for synthesizing the two different relational components into a third culture are offered and discussed.

Exploring the limits of Western leadership theory in East Asia and Africa

Contends that the vacuum left by the collapse of colonial empires has been filled by new forms of cultural and ideological imperialism conceived largely in the West. Signs of the new imperialism are to be found in many fields including human resource management. Explores this theme, focusing particularly on ideas about leadership. Examines leadership patterns in East Asia and Africa. Suggests that no single model of leadership can accommodate significant variations in societal culture and their influence on organizational behaviour.

Early warning and response: why the international community failed to prevent the genocide.

The enormity of the genocide in Rwanda demands that it be subjected to searching enquiry and that members of the international community, collectively and individually, examine their own roles in the event. This paper draws extensively on Study II of the Joint Evaluation, and examines the effectiveness of international monitoring (early warning) and management of the Rwanda conflict. It is not intended to explore all the factors which together contributed to the genocide that were or might have been amenable to modification by the international community. The focus is on warning and response beginning with the start of the civil war in 1990, and culminating in an analysis of the international response to the genocide in April-June 1994.

Oriental wisdom and western leadership

Oriental wisdom and western leadership

U.S. and Soviet Policies towards France’s Struggle with Anticolonial Nationalism in North Africa

Decolonization of French North Africa in the aftermath of WW II confronted the United States and the Soviet Union with a formidable dilemma. For dissimilar reasons both needed to maintain good relations with France. For the U.S., preserving the cohesion of the Atlantic alliance was paramount, whereas for the U.S.S.R eliciting French support in countering the rearmament of Germany and its integration into NATO was of greater importance than endorsing the cause of the Maghrebi nationalists. The U.S.S.R. and the U.S. ended up sanctioning the preservation of French presence for fear that the power vacuum would help the rival superpower establish its hegemony in the region. Yet, while both sought to appease France, they also wished to gain the friendship of the nationalist movements opposed to it. Whilst the Soviets sought to prevent the nationalists from being swayed by the western bloc, Americans endeavoured to move them towards self-rule under western leadership to guarantee the establishment of moderate regimes amenable to the west. As a consequence, in order to achieve their respective objectives, the U.S. and the U.S.S.R ended up pursuing similar policies aiming at reconciling contradictory goals to protect their strategic, political, and economic interests. The Algerian war of independence created the greatest challenge to the Americans and the Soviets. America’s Eurocentric approach to decolonization proved detrimental because constant support for France during the Algerian war without any fundamental shift in policy towards the nationalists, even when the outcome had already been decided, allowed the Soviets, who provided material and political backing, to succeed in establishing close ties with postindependence Algeria. This article, based on recently declassified material, analyses the policies of both superpowers and highlights the predicament they faced in dealing with decolonization. Further, it fills the conspicuous gap in the literature on the roles played by the superpowers in the Maghreb region after WW II.