An institutional theory of leadership
Article Abstract:
Most theories of leadership are rooted in a psychological paradigm that treats leadership as an individual attribute, although one that may be situationally activated or constrained. In this article, the authors propose a theory of leadership inspired by the institutional school of organizational analysis. Us ing an approach based on Weberian sociology, the authors link leadership to the legitimating principles and norms of the social structure in which leaders hip occurs. Four hypotheses are presented: (1) leadership strategies in any one sociocultural setting will have strong underlying similarities, (2) as an organization changes over time, strategies of leadership will also change, (3) organizations performing the same tasks - but based on different substantive principles - will exhibit different strategies of leadership, and (4) occupational and organizational subgroups based on distinctive norms will exhibit similar leadership styles across organizations, and will differ from other sub groups within a single organization. The authors conclude by proposing a research agenda based on institutional theory. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)
Publication Name: Journal of Applied Behavioral Science
Subject: Social sciences
ISSN: 0021-8863
Year: 1987
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Leaders on the couch
Article Abstract:
This article explores the psychobiographical/psychohistorical approach to the study of leadership. Such an approach differs from traditional history in that the life of a subject is reconstructed and evaluated in terms of clinical methods and theories. Freud's study of Leonardo da Vinci was the prototype for such work. Those using this approach have been criticized for not being sufficiently rigorous about facts and validation, and for practicing psychological reductionism and monocausality. Psychoanalytic theory has advanced since its inception with the development of the interpsychic model, self-psychology, character analysis, and personality assessment. Improved understanding of the role of transference and countertransference in the relationship between the researcher and subject has been particularly important. Influential psychobiographical studies of leaders by Laswell, the Georges, and Erikson are discussed. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)
Publication Name: Journal of Applied Behavioral Science
Subject: Social sciences
ISSN: 0021-8863
Year: 1990
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Integrative capacity and the evaluation of leadership: a multimethod assessment approach
Article Abstract:
The relationship between integrative capacity and evaluations of leadership effectiveness was examined in a 9-month program for development business leaders. Integrative capacity was conceptualized as a central dimension of the structural psychological characteristic, active coping, and differentiated from the cognitive construct, integrative complexity. Self-report, semiprojective, and projective measures of integrative capacity obtained at the beginning of the program were correlated with peer and faculty ratings of leadership at the end of the program. Significant correlations ranged from .27 (p < .05) to .52 (p < .001). Intelligence and integrative capacity contributed separately to leadership. The findings support the value of examining variables related to personality structure and the use of projective techniques to assess candidates for positions of business leadership. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)
Publication Name: Journal of Applied Behavioral Science
Subject: Social sciences
ISSN: 0021-8863
Year: 1998
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