Leadership as engagement, leadership as system development: A contextualised Ghanaian study

Abstract

Purpose

This paper uses data about the challenges and difficulties confronting organisations and leaders to advance a dualized meaning of corporate leadership in the context of a developing country. The purpose is to describe a leadership frame that is locally contextualised, thereby bringing conceptualisation and thought closer to action, reified reality and applicability.

Design/methodology/approach

This research was designed as a series of three studies starting from an applied/interventionist standpoint. The first study used data from applied diagnostic interventions, the second used qualitative interviews and the third used open‐ended questionnaires. Data were collected from 25 Ghanaian organisations and 29 corporate executives.

Findings

Drawing on a range of everyday issues such as poor attention to customers, pressure from stakeholders (such as political overlords) and leaders' “love” for perks, the paper develops a notion of leadership as “engagement” and as “system development”.

Research limitations/implications

The data are exploratory and the sample size may be considered small.

Originality/value

The paper discusses implications for leadership research and leader development in a developing country like Ghana.

Citation

Buenar Puplampu, B. (2010), "Leadership as engagement, leadership as system development: A contextualised Ghanaian study", European Business Review, Vol. 22 No. 6, pp. 624-651. https://doi.org/10.1108/09555341011082925