The Moderating Effects of Power Distance and Individualism/Collectivism on Empowering Leadership, Psychological Empowerment, and Self-Leadership in International Development Organizations

The importance of finding appropriate leadership styles to use in cross-cultural situations is paramount. Development organizations and multinational organizations both struggle to find forms of leadership that are effective in mobilizing the workforce in highly diverse cultural contexts. In this article, the effects of empowering leadership on psychological empowerment and self-leadership are measured in two cultural contexts—Rwanda and the United States, representing both high and low power distance and individualism/ collectivism—to explore how empowering leadership behaviors affects the empowerment of subordinates. First, hierarchical regression analysis shows that empowering leadership has a significant positive effect on both psychological empowerment and self-leadership in both cultural contexts. Second, hierarchical regression analysis with tests for moderation shows that power distance moderates these relationships, especially in high power distance cultures, while individualism/collectivism moderates these relationships only occasionally. This article provides evidence that empowering leadership is an effective form of leadership that produces employee empowerment in diverse cultural contexts. It also provides new insights into appropriate forms of leadership for international development organizations when working in different countries

The Moderating Effects of Power Distance and Individualism/Collectivism on Empowering Leadership, Psychological Empowerment, and Self-Leadership in International Development Organizations

The importance of finding appropriate leadership styles to use in cross-cultural situations is paramount. Development organizations and multinational organizations both struggle to find forms of leadership that are effective in mobilizing the workforce in highly diverse cultural contexts. In this article, the effects of empowering leadership on psychological empowerment and self-leadership are measured in two cultural contexts—Rwanda and the United States, representing both high and low power distance and individualism/ collectivism—to explore how empowering leadership behaviors affects the empowerment of subordinates. First, hierarchical regression analysis shows that empowering leadership has a significant positive effect on both psychological empowerment and self-leadership in both cultural contexts. Second, hierarchical regression analysis with tests for moderation shows that power distance moderates these relationships, especially in high power distance cultures, while individualism/collectivism moderates these relationships only occasionally. This article provides evidence that empowering leadership is an effective form of leadership that produces employee empowerment in diverse cultural contexts. It also provides new insights into appropriate forms of leadership for international development organizations when working in different countries

Purpose (Chapter Two of My Best Advice: Proven Rules for Effective Leadership)

Think about how you spent the past day, week, or even month. Why did you spend it that way? Why did you invest your time the way you did? Did you go to work? Why do you go to work every day? Did you go to your daughter\u27s recital or your son\u27s play? Why? Did you get some exercise? Did you take your partner to lunch? Did you go to the neighborhood barbecue? Why? On the surface, our answers to these questions may be simple: I go to work to make money so I can pay my bills and support a certain lifestyle for my family. I go to my kids\u27 events to support them. I love my partner. I enjoy spending time with my neighbors. There may be deeper drivers for each of these decisions as well

A Qualitative Inquiry into Organisational Culture\u27s Moderating Effect on Knowledge Management Projects in the Aerospace and Defense Industry

The management of knowledge permeates the social fabric of business enterprises today. Many suggest that the success of knowledge management is predominately associated with organisational culture. However, while researchers typically conclude that organisational culture affects knowledge management projects, initiatives and organisational effectiveness, there is a lack of research in this regard in the aerospace and defense industry. The research in this manuscript leveraged grounded theory protocols and existing research conducted in other industries to investigate specific cultural implications of organisational knowledge management activities in aerospace and defense companies. A constructivist knowledge claim position yielded theoretical observations about this phenomenon

Meeting the Needs of Global Companies Through Improved International Business Curriculum

The global workplace requires specific knowledge, skills, and abilities on the part of workers. There is a growing body of research indicating a gap between the global industry demand for skills and the higher education system’s ability to supply that demand. Leveraging the work from Yu, Guan, Yang, and Chiao (2005) and Prestwich and Ho-Kim (2007), this study investigated this gap. The sample included global leaders of Fortune 500 companies. Exploratory in nature, the primary purpose of this study was to understand the needs of global business organizations that form the hiring market for international business graduates. The findings highlight the gap between the topics being taught by educators and the skills actually needed by the target international businesses. This information is relevant to the challenges facing global businesses as well as higher education institutions and provides insights into improvements for the good of both industries and especially the students aiming for careers in global organizations

Understanding How to Change: An Inductive Determination of How Agents of State Government Plan, Lead, and Sustain Change

This dissertation started with a simple question: Why is it so difficult to lead successful organizational change initiatives? The dynamics of organizational behavior support a plethora of complex answers to this simple question. Indeed, literature abounds regarding the need for organizational change, individual transformation, and living system adaptation. However, Jaworski, Gozdz, and Senge (1998) noted that although much has been written about organizational change, there is little offered in literature about how to achieve change. Beer and Nohria (2000) added that existing organizational change theory is not sufficient to address organizational transformation especially relative to the people side of change. Wall (2004) echoed in this void claiming there is still no practical organizational change process, technique, or formula available to plan, lead, and sustain change. This brief literature suggests that organizational change is difficult due in part because there is not a clearly practical explanation of how to change. Thus, the grand aim here is to provide an understanding of how to change, and offer what is commonly referred to as change implementation theory (Bennis, 1966). The research approach to accomplish this aim took a constructivist knowledge claim position in that theory generation is the goal. The strategy of inquiry followed a qualitative research method using grounded theory protocols. Theory building was data driven largely from expert interviews. However, existing literature and emerging approaches were also employed along side constant comparative analysis throughout the study. The result is detailed herein as an organizational change implementation theory and utilitarian change leadership field guide regarding how best to plan, lead, and sustain organizational change

Globalization: History Repeats (Chapter 1 from Distributed Team Collaboration in Organizations: Emerging Tools and Practices)

The strategy to improve business results through globalization has become increasingly common. Success in reaping the business value intended from a globalization strategy is, unfortunately, not as common. As national boundaries blur and everyone grows more connected through global collaboration, the dynamics of organizational life grow more complex. These complexities offer challenge, confusion, and frustration – but also great opportunity! The key to achieving improved business results does not hinge on strategies alone, but also on our ability to effectively lead global product and service development teams to successfully execute the strategies. Those struggling the most are the practitioners who find their historic team leadership practices ineffective in today’s global business model. To effectively lead a global team, one must first understand the forces driving our companies to a global business model. This chapter focuses on the forces that fuel and constrain globalization