Why is leadership so misunderstood? Inquiring minds want to know
International Journal of Organizational Analysis
ISSN: 1934-8835
Article publication date: 21 November 2008
Abstract
Purpose
This paper examines leadership and its associated prominent theories from the perspectives of Mitroff and Linstone's (1993) five inquiry systems.
Design/methodology/approach
Five inquiry systems: Lockean (Inductive‐Consensual); Leibnitzian (Analytic‐Deductive); Kantian (Multiple Realities); Hegelian (Dialectic); and Singerian (Unbounded Systems Thinking) – are used to consider the advantages and disadvantages of major theories of leadership.
Findings
Although each inquiry system has some beneficial application to leadership theory development, the article posits that the Kantian, Hegelian, and Singerian inquiry systems offer the greatest potential to understand the complex phenomenon of leadership.
Practical implications/limitations
Implications for leadership research are offered based on each of the five inquiry systems.
Originality/value
The value of this article comes from using the inquiry systems to look at leadership theory and research from fresh philosophical perspectives.
Keywords
Citation
Nielson, T.R. and Pate, L.E. (2008), "Why is leadership so misunderstood? Inquiring minds want to know", International Journal of Organizational Analysis, Vol. 16 No. 4, pp. 249-259. https://doi.org/10.1108/19348830810944693
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2008, Emerald Group Publishing Limited