Leadership studies

Last updated

Leadership studies is a multidisciplinary academic field of study that focuses on leadership in organizational contexts and in human life. Leadership studies has origins in the social sciences (e.g., sociology, anthropology, psychology), in humanities (e.g., history and philosophy), as well as in professional and applied fields of study (e.g., management and education). The field of leadership studies is closely linked to the field of organizational studies.

Contents

As an academic area of inquiry, the study of leadership has been of interest to scholars from a wide variety of disciplinary backgrounds. Today, there are numerous academic programs (spanning several academic colleges and departments) related to the study of leadership. Leadership degree programs generally relate to: aspects of leadership, leadership studies, and organizational leadership (although there are a number of leadership-oriented concentrations in other academic areas).

Leadership in higher education

Leadership has become one of the fastest-growing academic fields in higher education [1] [2] [3] [ need quotation to verify ] [4] [ need quotation to verify ] At all levels, undergraduate through doctoral, an increasing number of colleges and universities have begun developing not only individual courses, but entire degree programs specifically devoted to the study of leadership. [5]

Even among some of the more established and traditional academic disciplines such as engineering, education, and medicine, specialization and concentration areas have developed around the study of leadership. Most of these academic programs have aimed to be multidisciplinary in nature, drawing upon theories and applications from related fields such as sociology, psychology, philosophy, and management. Such an approach, Rost (1991) has argued "allows scholars and practitioners to think radically new thoughts about leadership that are not possible from a unidisciplinary approach" (p. 2). [3]

Outside of the classroom, there are formal leadership education and development opportunities led by many institutions' Student Affairs departments. [6] For example, Canadian institutions such as Sheridan College have large Peer Mentor student staff programs which allow students to gain work experience while building their leadership skill development, self-confidence, and connections to their campus community. [7] Other Leadership opportunities may include: student leadership conferences, student staff roles, volunteer opportunities, co-curricular opportunities, and leadership workshops. Leadership education in higher education is important not only because it increases student retention rates, but it is also viewed as an important job skill. [8] The National Association of Colleges and Employers in the United States surveyed employers and found that leadership was an attribute that 67.4% of the respondents look for in a successful candidate's resume. [9]

History of leadership as a field of study

The study of leadership can be dated back to Plato, Sun Tzu and Machiavelli. However, leadership has only become the focus of contemporary academic studies in the last 60 years, and particularly more so in the last two decades. Contemporary leadership scholars and researchers have often been questioned about the nature of their work, and its place within the academy, but much of the confusion surrounding leadership as a field of study may be attributed to a lack of understanding regarding transdisciplinary, inter-, and multi- disciplinary academic fields of study in general.

The discipline – which encompasses a host of sub-fields – is filled with definitions, theories, styles, functions, competencies, and historical examples of successful and diverse leaders. Collectively, the research findings on leadership provide a far more sophisticated and complex view of the phenomenon than most of the simplistic views presented in the popular press. [10] [11]

Some of the earliest studies on leadership include:

  • The Ohio State Leadership Studies which began in the 1940s [12] and focused on how leaders could satisfy common group needs. The findings indicated that the two most important dimensions in leadership included: "initiating structure", and "consideration". These characteristics could be either high or low and were independent of one another. The research was based on questionnaires to leaders and subordinates. These questionnaires are known as the Leader Behavior Description Questionnaire (LBDQ) and the Supervisor Behavior Description Questionnaire (SBDQ). [13] By 1962, the LBDQ was on version XII.
  • The Michigan Studies of Leadership [14] which began in the 1950s [15] and indicated that leaders could be classified as either "employee centered", or "job centered". These studies identified three critical characteristics of effective leaders: task oriented behavior, relationship-oriented behavior, and participative leadership.
  • Theory X and theory Y – developed by Douglas McGregor in the 1960s at MIT Sloan School of Management. These theories described employee motivation in the workforce. Both theories begin with the premise that the role of management is to assemble the factors of production, including people, for the economic benefit of the firm. Beyond this point, the two theories of management diverge.
  • Managerial grid model (1964), updated in 1991 to the Blake and McCanse leadership grid – developed the orientation of "task orientation" and "people orientation" in leader behavior. They developed the leadership grid which focused on concern for results (on the one axis) and concern for people (on the other axis).

In addition to these studies, leadership has been examined from an academic perspective through several theoretical lenses:

  • Functional leadership theory: Suggests that a leader's primary responsibility is to see that whatever is necessary in relation to group needs is taken care of.
  • Self-leadership theory: [17] Although behaviorally oriented, the essence of self leadership theory is that behaviors are directed toward the attainment of super-ordinate goals.

The first doctoral program in Leadership Studies [18] was established at the University of San Diego in the School of Leadership and Education Sciences in 1979. [19] The first undergraduate school of Leadership Studies was established at the University of Richmond Jepson School of Leadership Studies in 1992. [20]

Research on different types of leadership

Empirical, meta-analytic, and theoretical studies have been conducted on various types of leadership. Some of the styles of leadership studied include:

Notable leadership scholars

Research methods in the study of leadership

Leadership has been studied using quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods (a combination of quantitative and qualitative) research methodologies. From a quantitative psychology orientation, statistical and mathematical modeling has been used in the development of leadership scales, in testing established leader evaluation tools, and in examining perceptions of leaders. [27] Quantitative analysis may also take an experimental approach, incorporating methods from the field of experimental economics. [28] Survey methodology has also been widely used in leadership research. As such, traditional methods of analysis in survey research have also extended to the analysis of survey research within the study of leadership (e.g., cross-tabulations, ANOVAs, regression analysis, log-linear analysis, [29] factor analysis, etc.). From a qualitative orientation, leadership research has included a host of research techniques: phenomenology, ethnography, [30] grounded theory, interviews, case studies, historiography, [31] literary criticism, [32] etc.

"Coaches and coaching psychologists are increasingly using the lessons and tools of positive psychology in their practice (Biswas-Diener, 2010)." An example of leadership research done was by P. Alex Linley and Gurpal Minhas researching the strengths that may be found in more effective strengthspotters; the people who are skilled in the identification and development of strengths in others. The study consisted of an online survey used to collect data on the Strengthspotting Scale, together with an assessment of 60 different strengths using the Realise2 model (www.realise2.com). There were 528 respondents to retrieve data from and the results showed that the four strengths connector, enabler, esteem builder and feedback were found across the Strengthspotting Scale. "The strengths of Connector, Enabler and Feedback were significant predictors for each strengthspotting domain, suggesting that these may be the essence of the personal characteristics of an effective strengthspotter" (Linley and Minhas, 2011).

Academic programs

There are a considerable number of doctoral, masters, and undergraduate degree programs related to the study of leadership. Given that the study of leadership is interdisciplinary, leadership-related degree programs are often situated within various colleges, schools, and departments across different university campuses (e.g., Schools of Education at some universities, Business Schools at other universities, and Graduate and Professional Schools at still other universities). As such, at the doctoral level leadership related degree programs primarily include: Ph.D., Ed.D., and executive doctoral degrees (depending on the situation of the program within the university). At the masters level leadership related degree programs primarily include: Master of Science, Master of Arts, and executive master's degrees. At the undergraduate level leadership related degree programs primarily include: Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts degrees as well as leadership certificate and minor programs. For example, Old Dominion University offers an undergraduate Bachelor of Science degree in Interdisciplinary Studies – Leadership]. [33] Old Dominion University also offers a LeADERS program [34] for undergraduates that help students foster leadership skills and values to ultimately be competitive in a student's career.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drexel University</span> Private university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US

Drexel University is a private research university with its main campus in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Drexel's undergraduate school was founded in 1891 by Anthony J. Drexel, a financier and philanthropist. Founded as Drexel Institute of Art, Science and Industry, it was renamed Drexel Institute of Technology in 1936, before assuming its current name in 1970. As of 2020, more than 24,000 students were enrolled in over 70 undergraduate programs and more than 100 master's, doctoral, and professional programs at the university.

Victor Harold Vroom was a Canadian psychologist and business school professor at the Yale School of Management.

The Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) or (DrBA) is a terminal degree in business administration. The DBA is classified as a research doctorate or professional doctorate depending on the granting university and country where the degree was awarded. Academically, the DBA is awarded based on advanced study, examinations, project work, and advanced research in the field of business administration.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Claremont Graduate University</span> Private graduate university in Claremont, California, United States

The Claremont Graduate University (CGU) is a private, all-graduate research university in Claremont, California. Founded in 1925, CGU is a member of the Claremont Colleges consortium which includes five undergraduate and two graduate institutions of higher education.

The UCLA School of Education and Information Studies is one of the academic and professional schools at the University of California, Los Angeles. Located in Los Angeles, California, the school combines two departments. Established in 1881, the school is the oldest unit at UCLA, having been founded as a normal school prior to the establishment of the university. It was incorporated into the University of California in 1919.

Business education is a branch of education that involves teaching the skills and operations of the business industry. This field of education occurs at multiple levels, including secondary and higher education

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Louis University</span> Private university in Chicago, Illinois

National Louis University (NLU) is a private nonprofit university with its main campus in Chicago, Illinois. NLU enrolls undergraduate and graduate students in more than 60 programs across its four colleges. It has locations throughout the Chicago metropolitan area as well as a regional campus in Tampa, Florida, where it serves students from 13 counties in that state’s central region.

The Weatherhead School of Management is a private business school of Case Western Reserve University located in Cleveland, Ohio. Weatherhead offers programs concentrated in sustainability, design innovation, healthcare, organizational behavior, global entrepreneurship, and executive education. The school is named for benefactor and Weatherchem owner Albert J. Weatherhead III, and its principal facility is the Peter B. Lewis Building.

The Department of Social and Decision Sciences (SDS) is an interdisciplinary academic department within the Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences at Carnegie Mellon University. The Department of Social and Decision Sciences is headquartered in Porter Hall in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and is led by Department Head Gretchen Chapman. SDS has a world-class reputation for research and education programs in decision-making in public policy, economics, management, and the behavioral social sciences.

The Doctor of Public Administration (D.P.A.) is a terminal applied-research doctoral degree in the field of public administration (a part of public service). The D.P.A. requires significant coursework beyond the masters level and a dissertation that contributes to theory or practice. Upon successful completion, the title of "Doctor" is awarded and the post-nominal letters of D.P.A. or DPA can be used.

Quantitative psychology is a field of scientific study that focuses on the mathematical modeling, research design and methodology, and statistical analysis of psychological processes. It includes tests and other devices for measuring cognitive abilities. Quantitative psychologists develop and analyze a wide variety of research methods, including those of psychometrics, a field concerned with the theory and technique of psychological measurement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carroll School of Management</span> Business school of Boston College

The Wallace E. Carroll School of Management (CSOM) is the business school of Boston College in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy</span> Public policy school of Rutgers University

The Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy of Rutgers University serves as a center for the theory and practice of urban planning, public policy and public health/health administration scholarship. The school is located in New Brunswick, New Jersey, and was named in honor of the former Rutgers University president, Edward J. Bloustein. Through its academic programs and research centers, the Bloustein School engages in instruction and research, combined learning and application. The school's strengths and the specializations of its faculty are vast and many of its faculty members are the founders of theories or practices that are now commonplace in urban planning and policy. Areas of expertise for Bloustein faculty members include transportation planning and the environment, urban and community health, workforce development, and social justice.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wilmington University</span> Private university in Wilmington Manor, Delaware, U.S.

Wilmington University (WilmU) is a private university with its main campus in Wilmington Manor, Delaware, with a New Castle street address. It was founded in 1968 as Wilmington College by educator Donald E. Ross. As of 2016, the university served a total student body of 20,522 undergraduate and postgraduate students in nearly 100 degree and certificate programs. The university's programs are offered at its main campus in historic New Castle as well as at six additional campuses in Delaware, several partnership locations in New Jersey, and a single partnership location in northeastern Maryland.

The Doctor of Management is an applied research doctorate with a degree focus in management, leadership, and organizational topics."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Florida State University College of Social Work</span>

The Florida State University College of Social Work, is the social work school of the Florida State University. The College is the oldest in the state of Florida. About 917 students are enrolled, including undergraduates and graduate students, including Master of Social Work and Doctor of Philosophy-seeking students. All programs are accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.

PhD in management is one of the highest academic degrees awarded in the study of management science. The degree was designed for those seeking academic research and teaching careers as faculty or professors in the study of management at business schools worldwide.

The Tepper School of Business is the business school of Carnegie Mellon University. It is located in the university's 140-acre (0.57 km2) campus in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

North American collegiate sustainability programs are institutions of higher education in the United States, Mexico, and Canada that have majors and/or minors dedicated to the subject of sustainability. Sustainability as a major and minor is spreading to more and more colleges as the need for humanity to adopt a more sustainable lifestyle becomes increasingly apparent with the onset of global warming. The majors and minors listed here cover a wide array of sustainability aspects from business to construction to agriculture to simply the study of sustainability itself.

References

  1. Compare: Brungardt, C. L. (1996). "The making of leaders: A review of the research in leadership development and education". The Journal of Leadership Studies. 3 (3): 81–95. doi:10.1177/107179199700300309. S2CID   145271368. The study of leadership has been a major scholarly activity over the last 100 years. The latest edition of The Handbook of Leadership (Bass, 1990) list nearly 8,000 citations and references. In addition, Rost's (1991) research showed a dramatic increase in the number of published books and articles over the last several years.
  2. Compare: Brungardt, C. L.; Gould, L. V.; Moore, R.; Potts, J. (1997). "The emergence of leadership studies: Linking the traditional outcomes of liberal education with leadership development". The Journal of Leadership Studies. 4 (3): 53–67. doi:10.1177/107179199800400306. S2CID   144672921. Fort Hays State University has joined a growing number of institutions around the nation which are providing curricular activities that educate students about leadership (Brungardt, 1996).
  3. 1 2 Rost, Joseph (1993-02-18). Leadership for the Twenty-First Century. Bloomsbury Academic. ISBN   978-0-275-94610-4.
  4. Rost, J. C.; Baker, R. A. (2000). "Leadership education in colleges: Toward a 21st century paradigm". The Journal of Leadership Studies. 7 (1): 3–12. doi:10.1177/107179190000700102. S2CID   145696767.
  5. "Leadership Major | Degrees, Jobs and Careers" . Retrieved 2023-10-25.
  6. Seemiller, Corey (2016). "Leadership Competency Development: A Higher Education Responsibility". New Directions for Higher Education. 2016 (174): 93–104. doi:10.1002/he.20192. ISSN   0271-0560.
  7. "Peer Mentor Program | Student Leadership | Sheridan". Sheridan College. Retrieved 2020-03-14.
  8. Soria, Krista M.; Roberts, Julia E.; Reinhard, Alex P. (2015-01-02). "First-Year College Students' Strengths Awareness and Perceived Leadership Development". Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice. 52 (1): 89–103. doi:10.1080/19496591.2015.996057. ISSN   1949-6591. S2CID   145726334.
  9. "Employers Want to See These Attributes on Students' Resumes". www.naceweb.org. Retrieved 2020-03-14.
  10. Doh, J. P (2003). "Can leadership be taught? Perspectives from management educators". Academy of Management Learning and Education. 2 (1): 54–67. doi:10.5465/AMLE.2003.9324025.
  11. Daloz Parks, S. (2005). Leadership can be taught: A bold approach for a complex world. Cambridge: Harvard Business School Press.
  12. Khurana, Rakesh (2010) [2007]. From Higher Aims to Hired Hands: The Social Transformation of American Business Schools and the Unfulfilled Promise of Management as a Profession. Princeton University Press. p. 354. ISBN   9781400830862 . Retrieved 2013-08-24. Academic concern with the study of leadership began in 1945 with a research program at Ohio State University, under the aegis of the federal government's War Manpower Commission and the Department of labor, known as the Ohio State Leadership Studies[...]
  13. The Ohio State University (n.d.). Leader Behavior Description Questionnaire (LBDQ) "Fisher College of Business | Leader Behavior Description Questionnaire (LBDQ)". Archived from the original on 2009-04-07. Retrieved 2009-04-06.
  14. Boje, D. (2000). The Isles Leadership: The Voyage of the Behaviorists. The Leadership Box (Northern Michigan State University) http://business.nmsu.edu/~dboje/teaching/338/behaviors.htm#katz_michigan
  15. Katz, D., Maccoby, N., and Morse, N. 1950. Productivity, Supervision, and Morale in an Office Situation. Ann Arbor, MI: Institute for Social Research.
  16. Lord, Robert G.; Maher, Karen J. (1993-11-18). Leadership and Information Processing: Linking Perceptions and Performance. London: Routledge. ISBN   978-0-415-09901-1.
  17. Neck, C. P., & Houghton, J. D. (2006). Two decades of self-leadership theory and research: Past developments, present trends, and future possibilities. Journal of Managerial Psychology http://www.emeraldinsight.com/Insight/viewContentItem.do?contentType=Article&contentId=1554367
  18. University of San Diego (n.d.). Ph.D. in Leadership Studies. School of Leadership and Education Sciences website http://www.sandiego.edu/soles/programs/leadership_studies/academic_programs/doctoral_program/index.php Archived 2009-02-15 at the Wayback Machine
  19. University of San Diego (n. d.). History and Facts. School of Leadership and Education Sciences. http://www.sandiego.edu/soles/about/history_and_facts.php
  20. University of Richmond (n. d.). Jepson School of Leadership Studies http://jepson.richmond.edu/about/index.html
  21. The Leadership Institute in the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California http://www.marshall.usc.edu/mor/leadership-institute.htm Archived 2008-02-22 at the Wayback Machine
  22. James McaGregor Burns Academy of Leadership website at the University of Maryland "Division of Information Technology – Webhosting". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2016-03-04.
  23. Burns, James MacGregor (2006-01-01). Roosevelt – The Soldier Of Freedom – 1940–1945. Illustrated with Photographs. History Book Club. ISBN   978-1-58288-260-4.
  24. Posner, B. (n. d.) Santa Clara School of Business faculty webpaage http://www.scu.edu/business/management/faculty/posner-profile.cfm
  25. Vroom, Victor H. (1964-01-15). Work and Motivation. New York: Wiley. ISBN   978-0-471-91205-7.
  26. Vroom, Victor H.; Yetton, Philip W. (2010-05-31). Leadership and Decision-Making. London: University of Pittsburgh Press. ISBN   978-0-8229-5265-7.
  27. See Hoyt, C. L.; Murphy, S. (2016). "Managing to clear the air: Stereotype threat, women, and leadership". The Leadership Quarterly, 27 (3): 387–399.
  28. See Levy, D. M.; Padgitt, K.; Peart, S. J.; Houser, D.; Xiao, E. (2011). "Leadership, cheap talk and really cheap talk". Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization77: 40–52.
  29. https://archive.today/20121212070319/http://faculty.chass.ncsu.edu/garson/PA765/logit.htm
  30. See von Rueden, C.; van Vugt, M. (2015). "Leadership in small-scale societies: some implications for leadership evolution and practice". The Leadership Quarterly, 26: 978–990.
  31. See Hayter, J. M. (2015). "To End Divisions: Reflections on the Civil Rights Act of 1964." Richmond Journal of Law and Public Interest18 (4): 499–514.
  32. Bezio, Kristin MS (2017). "From Rome to Tyre to London: Shakespeare's Pericles , leadership, anti-absolutism, and English exceptionalism". Leadership. 13: 48–63. doi:10.1177/1742715016663753. S2CID   151578371.
  33. Interdisciplinary Studies – Leadership
  34. LeADERS program