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Leadership Dissertation Topics

Published by Grace Graffin at January 4th, 2023 , Revised On May 30, 2024

Leadership is an attribute of leading and guiding subordinates for collective wellness. Many people aspire to become leaders, but only a few succeed. This is because leadership and management are two relatively different concepts. A manager is not always a leader, and a leader cannot always be a manager. So, a leader knows how to manage a group without having distinguished power.

That said, leadership is an exciting discipline to explore and study. If you have aimed to write your dissertation about leadership and are direly looking for some exceptional leadership research topics, do not worry; we have got your back. Find out the most relevant and striking list of leadership topics for the research.

You can start your leadership dissertation by requesting a brief research proposal  from our writers on any of these topics, which includes an  introduction  to the problem,  research question , aim and objectives,  literature review , along with the proposed methodology  of research to be conducted. Let us know if you need any help in getting started.

Check our  example dissertation  to get an idea of  how to structure your dissertation .

You can review step by step guide on how to write your dissertation  here .

List Of Top New Dissertation Topics On Leadership

  • Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Leadership Development
  • How to Lead Through Crisis in a Volatile World
  • How Leaders Can Drive Employee Engagement Through Shared Goals
  • The Impact of Remote Work on Leadership Styles and Team Dynamics
  • Building Trust and Transparency in a Hybrid Work Environment
  • Developing Emotional Intelligence for Effective Leadership in a Digital Age
  • Can servant leadership foster employee Wellbeing and productivity?
  • The Gig Economy and the Challenges of Leading a Dispersed Workforce
  • The Influence of Social Media on Leadership Communication and Public Perception
  • The Impact of Agile Leadership on Project Management and Team Performance
  • An Analysis on the impact of Analytics on Making Informed Decisions and Driving Results
  • How Leaders Can Create a Risk-Taking Environment for Growth
  • The Evolving Role of Mentorship in Leadership Development Programmes
  • The Role of Leadership in Managing Conflict within Teams and Organisations
  • The Impact of Leadership on Employee Wellbeing and Mental Health in the Workplace
  • How Leaders Can Effectively Navigate Organisational Transformation
  • How Leaders Can Set Positive Standards and Inspire Ethical Behaviour
  • How Leaders Can Motivate Teams Through Recognition and Appreciation
  • The Importance of Strategic Thinking for Effective Leadership
  • The Role of Leadership in Building a Strong Organisational Culture
  • The Impact of Leadership on Organisational Reputation and Public Perception
  • The Evolving Skills Needed for Effective Leadership in the 21st Century
  • The Impact of Leadership on Customer Satisfaction and Brand Loyalty
  • How Leaders Can Empower Their Teams for Greater Success
  • Handling Rapid Change and Disruption in Business
  • The Importance of Effective Time Management for Leaders
  • The Role of Leadership in Building High-Performing Teams
  • The Impact of Leadership on Employee Turnover and Retention Rates
  • The Power of Networking for Leaders

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Trending Leadership Dissertation Topics

Topic 1: a comparative analysis of the impact of transformational and servant leadership styles on employee satisfaction and performance..

Research Aim: The research aims to conduct a comparative analysis of the impact of transformational and servant leadership styles on customer satisfaction.

Objectives:

  • To analyse the factors impacting employee satisfaction and performance.
  • To determine the similarities and differences between transformational and servant leaders.
  • To conduct a comparative analysis of the impact of transformational and servant leadership styles on customer satisfaction.

Topic 2: Investigate the suitable leadership attributes for handling crises and the financial stability of the business.

Research Aim: The research aims to investigate the suitable leadership attributes for handling crises and the financial stability of the business.

  • To analyse the leadership attributes ideal for handling crises and unpredictable situations.
  • To evaluate the factors impacting the financial stability of businesses.
  • To investigate the suitable leadership attributes for handling crises and the financial stability of the business.

Topic 3: Analysis of the medical leadership response in the NHS during the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK.

Research Aim: The research aims to analyse the medical leadership response in the NHS during the initial stages of the Covid-19 pandemic in the UK.

  • To analyse the impact of medical leadership on staff morale and the quality of patient care.
  • To determine the medical leadership in the NHS and its impact on staff productivity and efficiency.
  • To investigate the medical leadership response in the NHS during the initial stages of the Covid-19 pandemic in the UK.

Topic 4: How does poor leadership impact the overall organisational revenue and culture?

Research Aim: The research aims to analyse how poor leadership impacts the overall organisational revenue and culture.

  • To analyse the ramifications of poor leadership in organisations.
  • To evaluate the factors contributing to organisational revenue generation and shaping the organisational culture.
  • To analyse the impact of poor leadership on overall organisational revenue and culture.

Topic 5: Analysis of the potential use of AI for enhancing leadership performance and decision-making.

Research Aim: The research aims to analyse the potential use of AI for enhancing leadership performance and decision-making.

  • To analyse how AI contributes to leadership decision-making.
  • To identify the factors impacting leadership performance and the role of technology.
  • To analyse the potential use of AI for enhancing leadership performance and decision-making.

Topic no.1: Significance of leadership in business

Research Aim: In times like the present, when there is wavering financial stability, it is imperative for businesses to become as strong as they can be. Only good leaders in a company can help make the right and timely decisions to make it successful. The research will deeply analyse and study the importance of leadership in a business. It will figure out the challenges posed to business due to poor or absence of good leadership.

Topic no.2: Leadership and management

Research Aim: Leadership and management are two different things, but they go hand in hand. But it is significant to understand in what premises and situations leadership becomes more crucial than management and vice versa. It is also significant to find whether or not one is independent of the other. The main of the research will be to find out the answers to all of the aforementioned questions.

Topic no.3: Political leadership; the ramifications of poor leadership

Research Aim: The aim of the research would be to analyse and evaluate political leadership and study the consequences of poor leadership. The researcher can study different political leaders, their model of leadership and their repercussions on the citizens of their state.

Topic no.4: Role of women in educational leadership

Research Aim: Women are no less than men in any field, especially leadership. In fact, women leaders have proved themselves over and over again throughout history. The aim of the research would be to identify and analyse women’s role in educational leadership. It will find out the women who played a centrifugal role in the sector of educational leadership.

Topic no.5: Climate leadership

Research Aim: Fairly a new avenue of leadership, climate leadership is one of the most needed and prospering kinds of leadership. When it comes to saving the earth, many are raising their voices, and some are taking crucial actions. The research would aim to explore the nature of leadership predominating for climate preservation, who are the key leaders at the forefront, what approaches they are using to inhibit global warming, and what recommendations would be in that regard.

Topic no.6: Impact of leadership style on the performance of employees

Research Aim: The aim of the research would be to understand the interrelation of leadership style and the performance of employees. The researcher will evaluate the performance of employees under different types of leadership styles, i.e., authoritative leadership, participative leadership, delegation leadership, transactional leadership, and transformational leadership. It will evaluate the psychological and behavioural traits of employees under each specified type of leadership.

Topic no.7: Traits of Good Corporate Leadership

Research Aim: The aim of the research is to identify the features and characteristics of good corporate leadership and design a model that can be followed to achieve business goals.

Also Read : How to Write Dissertation Aims and Objectives?

Topic no.8: Leadership responses during the pandemic

Research Aim: The aim of the research is to study the role of leaders in crisis management, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. The research will study the leadership responses of different countries and evaluate their measures and their repercussion in response to the outbreak.

Topic no.9: Leadership and economy

Research Aim: The economy of a country depends largely on how the leaders are amending the bogus policies and creating effective, updated ones for economic growth. In essence, it is the leaders whose policies lead to a thriving economy. The aim of the research is to find the relationship between leadership and the economy and how good leaders lead to a better economy.

Topic no.10: How leaders are using AI for their optimal performance

Research Aim: The aim of the research is to find out how(if) global leaders are using technology to improve their performances in their respective fields. There are many leaders, apart from technological leaders, who are using different forms of technology to boost their performance and interact with their subordinates.

How Can ResearchProspect Help?

ResearchProspect writers can send several custom topic ideas to your email address. Once you have chosen a topic that suits your needs and interests, you can order for our dissertation outline service which will include a brief introduction to the topic, research questions , literature review , methodology , expected results , and conclusion . The dissertation outline will enable you to review the quality of our work before placing the order for our full dissertation writing service !

Topic no.11: Digital leaders of the future

Research Aim: The aim of the research would be to understand and analyse how digital leaders use information and technology to help an organisation become more receptive to customer needs and changing business requirements.

Topic no.12: Leadership culture

Research Aim: The leadership culture is how leaders interact and communicate with the group of people they are commanding. The aim of the research is to study and evaluate the leadership culture prevalent in our society versus how it should ideally be.

Topic no.13: Leadership and Managing Adversity

Research Aim: The prime aim of the research would be to understand the art of managing adversity and adversaries that leaders employ to swipe off the obstructions that hinder their goals. In order to become a good leader, it is eminent to get familiar with the strategies to get rid of the oppositions that cause damage to the goals.

Topic no.14: Leadership and emotional intelligence:

Research Aim: Emotional intelligence is more important than IQ, and for leaders, it is more than important to hold their nerves to pass the testing times. The aim of the research is to identify and explore the importance of emotional intelligence in leaders and how they use it strategically to cope with difficult times.

Topic no.15: Women's leadership styles vs men's leadership style

Research Aim: Leaders are leaders, and they have nothing to do with gender, but it is said that there are a few differences between women’s leadership and men’s leadership. The aim of the research would be to analyse each one’s leadership styles and determine their differences.

Topic no.16: Leadership and ethical paradigms

Research Aim: The aim of the research would be to analyse leadership in the context of five ethical paradigms. It will understand and evaluate how leaders company different levels of ethics during their period of management.

Topic no.17: A case study of Jacinda Ardern's leadership

Research Aim: New Zealand was the first country to wipe off the covid 19 cases from the first wave. It was attributed to the policies of the state and leadership for impressive achievement. The main aim of the research is to study and analyse the role of Jacinda Ardern in crisis management.

Topic no.18: A case study of Margret Thatcher- the iron lady

Research Aim: Probably no one would be unaware of the first woman prime minister of Britain, Margret Thatcher. The aim of the research is to analyse and evaluate the leadership style that earned her the title of Iron Lady.

Topic no.19: Leadership and Education

Research Aim: Leadership in the education sector is as important as in any other field. The aim of the research is to study the inclusive or exclusive relationship between leadership and education. It will also provide suggestions about how to improve leadership approaches in education.

Topic no.20: Transformational and transactional leadership; the right approach to lead a business

Research Aim: Two main types of leadership include transformational and transactional leadership styles. The aim of the research would be to analyse and evaluate both styles, suggest the benefits and downsides of each style, and determine which approach is the best.

Conducting research on leadership and related topics can be very useful and exciting, but when it comes to writing, students become dreadful. But do not worry, we have got your back. Whether you want a section of the dissertation to be written impeccably or the whole of it, we are here. Don’t wait; click here .

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How to find leadership dissertation topics.

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  • Analyse leadership challenges.
  • Explore the industry or context.
  • Study effective leaders.
  • Examine leadership theories.
  • Consider organisational issues.
  • Select a topic resonating with your passion and research goals.

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300+ Best Leadership Research Topics to Deal With

Table of Contents

Do you want to write an excellent leadership research paper? Are you searching for the best leadership research topics or dissertation ideas? If yes, then continue reading this blog post and get interesting leadership research topics and ideas for writing a top-scoring research paper. Also, You can find an endless list of leadership research topics, but here are some tips on choosing a good one.

Leadership Research Paper Writing

A leadership Research Paper is a kind of informative research paper that deals with topics from leadership studies. In general, leadership study is a multidisciplinary academic field that focuses on the various aspects of leadership in human life and organizational context.

If you are a student who is pursuing a course in management, psychology, or leadership studies, then you will often be asked to write assignments on leadership topics. Mainly, your instructors will assign this task to test your leadership skills.

Leadership Research Topics

For writing a leadership research paper, all you need is a good research topic. Particularly, when it comes to writing a leadership research paper, the students will usually give high importance to their research skills. But, more than the research and writing skills, you must give preference to the leadership approach you used to address the topic. So, be careful when you are asked to write a research paper on leadership topics.

First, identify a good leadership research paper topic of your choice. Then, prepare a clear outline and draft an excellent research paper on the topic you have chosen. When writing a leadership research paper, to make your work look professional, understand the distinction between complex and complicated case studies and format your analysis by finding sources on complicated topics. Also, use new research concepts and the latest trending ways to address the original issue.

How to Choose a Good Leadership Research Topic?

Choosing a topic for a research paper or essay is one of the challenging tasks that require a lot of time and effort. In most cases, the instructors will specify the topics for you to choose from. But if you are asked to go with the topic of your choice, then this is what you should follow to pick the best leadership research topic.

  • Explore and identify the leadership research area that you are passionate about.
  • Narrow down the subject area and consider a topic that sounds specific.
  • Avoid choosing a topic on management and focus only on leadership.
  • Then, remember your instructor’s guidelines and prefer a topic that stands in line with them because only such topics will help you earn an A+ grade
  • Finally, build a leadership question and make sure it is proficient.

List of Leadership Research Topic

List of Leadership Research Topics and Dissertation Ideas

For writing a leadership research paper, you can go with any leadership topics that are related to disciplines that include education, management, psychology, sociology, and politics.

Discussed below is the list of some interesting leadership research topics and dissertation ideas on various categories that you can consider for writing your leadership essay or research paper.

Leadership Research Topics

Educational Leadership Research Topics

  • Educational leadership and success path
  • The role of women in education leadership
  • Educational leadership’s role in society
  • How social media affects educational leadership
  • Can education leadership bring a new change?
  • The effects of the leadership culture on running educational institutions
  • How to include the community in education leadership
  • Diluting racist habits in accredited universities
  • Interrelation between poor School results and poor Leadership
  • How Educational leadership influence researchers and Literature
  • The effectiveness of interdisciplinary teams in the running of the middle schools
  • How to blend strategic teaching methods with efficient organization
  • How educational institutions can offer exceptional leadership by thinking outside the box
  • Educational leadership and social transformation
  • How educational leadership affects society

Additional Leadership Research Topics on Education

  • How leadership in mediocre schools can simulate top-performing learning institutions
  • The impacts of technology on educational leadership
  • How to evaluate negative traits of instructors teaching similar subjects
  • How cultural organization affects educational institutions
  • Do teachers have adequate training on how to be influential leaders?
  • How to seamlessly pass teachers’ excellence to students
  • What changes in training opportunities can encourage teachers to exercise leadership strategies?
  • How fighting for leadership positions affects schools and students
  • How to compassionately develop students with dyslexia
  • Should learning institutions evaluate teachers depending on their leadership abilities?
  • The Impact of Educational leadership on the student excellence
  • Can leadership as well as management be taught?
  • Review of the educational curriculum
  • What is the specific alternative to the standardized testing
  • The exploration of the bias in the educational leadership
  • Educational leadership in social media
  • Impact of education leadership on the growth and development of children
  • Discuss the role of educational leadership in addressing social issues
  • Analyze the impact of technologies on school leadership
  • How government organizations can contribute to education leadership?
  • What are the most effective leadership styles to apply in schools and colleges?
  • Discuss the benefits of education leadership for students
  • How can educational leadership be known properly using the study of culture, people, and power?
  • Analyze the types of educational leadership
  • Analyze the impact of educational leadership on students belonging to racial and LGBTQI2+ minority groups
  • Educational leadership drives student excellence: Explain

Leadership Development Research Topics

  • Can leaders act as teachers?
  • How organizational leaders can develop creativity
  • How coaching can enhance leadership development
  • Describe executive development
  • How emotional intelligence can enhance leadership development
  • Can leadership development enhance accountability?
  • Which are the best leadership development opportunities?
  • When is leadership coaching necessary?
  • Why change management coaching should be part of a leadership development program
  • Essential skills to acquire from a leadership development program

A Few More Research Topics on Leadership Development

  • How leadership development can turn leaders into negotiators and influencers
  • Who should provide leadership coaching?
  • Why strategic planning matters when it comes to leadership development
  • The role of leadership development in team building
  • How does a mentorship for leadership development work?
  • Abusive Supervision.
  • Leader-Member Exchange Theory.
  • Judgment and Decision-Making.
  • Virtual Leadership
  • Dealing with the change
  • Transformational leadership
  • Transactional leadership
  • Leadership and employee performance
  • Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the implicit theory of leadership
  • Why every company must have an employee grievance management system?
  • Compare and contrast the Participative Leadership Theory and the Great Man Theory of leadership
  • What is the most effective leadership style to apply in healthcare organizations?
  • How do spirituality and religious beliefs impact a person’s leadership ability?
  • How does coaching leadership help to improve the performance of employees?
  • Briefly discuss the 7 C’s of leadership development
  • Describe the 6 E’s of effective leadership and their importance
  • What are the key leadership principles to follow by every leader?
  • Discuss all the must-have qualities a person needs to become an effective leader

Captivating Leadership Research Ideas

  • How leaders can motivate and engage employees
  • How to measure results in leadership training
  • How organizational leaders can enhance productivity
  • How to automate corporate learning paths
  • How leaders can command respect without issuing commands
  • How to delegate and empower employees
  • How to design helpful leadership training modules
  • The role of leadership in organizational development
  • How company leaders can retain the best employees
  • How to change management and executive leadership
  • How leaders can support succession in their organizations
  • How to improve decision-making in an organization
  • The role of organizational leaders in conflict resolution
  • How to implement effective leadership styles
  • Importance of leadership training

Powerful Leadership Research Paper Topics

  • How leaders can encourage peer-to-peer training
  • How leaders can train employees on energy and time management
  • Can leadership training affect organizational success?
  • How leaders can deal with organizational change
  • What leadership training means for a business
  • Qualities of practical leadership training and mentorship programs
  • Describe different leadership styles with examples
  • How decision skills can streamline organizations and nurture confidence
  • How leaders can train employees about self-awareness
  • How a company employee can benefit from a leadership course
  • How leaders can use coaching to enhance employee performance
  • Practical communication skills for organizational leaders
  • Which leadership strategies can enhance a team’s performance?
  • How leaders can create a learning culture in an organization
  • How corporate leaders can enhance interpersonal relationships

Interesting Leadership Dissertation Topics

  • What is systematic leadership?
  • Leadership contingency theories
  • Why is civic leadership important?
  • Why is strategic leadership essential in the business environment?
  • Military leadership style and coaching combination
  • Troubled companies and their leadership
  • Leadership and organizational behavior- How they relate
  • Participative and situational leadership theories
  • Leadership role in an organization’s transformational change
  • How gender difference affects leadership styles
  • Classifications of different leadership theories
  • How negative leadership affects an organization
  • Supervising and leadership influence on human services
  • Leadership theories and effective organization change
  • Theoretical perspectives of organizational leadership
  • Human resource planning and leadership development
  • Governance and leadership- What’s the difference?
  • Benefits, roles, and limitations of leadership
  • Discuss various leadership style concepts
  • Qualities of effective leadership strategies

Organizational Leadership Research Topics

  • How leadership behaviors affect the corporate culture
  • Organizational leadership’s role in a multicultural environment
  • How leadership quality and training can improve organizational performance
  • The Impacts of leadership skills on employees’ performance
  • How to evaluate the effects of administration on the organizational performance
  • How a country can produce the organizational leaders it requires
  • How to examine leadership effects and vision clarity on business organizations
  • Why executive leadership is essential in developing countries
  • How corporate culture can influence the leadership decisions to try a new business strategy
  • How a corporate leader can devise work teams in a company
  • How assumption-based planning can save money for an organization
  • How leadership practices influence the success of an organization
  • How managers can provide leadership aspirations to subordinates
  • Essential administrative services that hospitality industry leaders should provide
  • How differentiating leadership from management can enhance the achievement of organizational goals

Leadership Research Topics for Managers

  • Why every manager should know industry-specific regulations
  • Body language and public speaking for managers
  • How a manager can build self-confidence
  • How a manager can train or coach others
  • Essential leadership Skills for managers
  • Why training is essential for new managers
  • Practical time management skills that every manager should have
  • How company management can manage complaints
  • How managers can nurture talents and ensure employee retention
  • Firing and hiring- What should know managers know about these responsibilities?

Management Leadership Research Paper Topics

  • How a manager can improve work habits
  • Effective ways for managers to delegate tasks
  • How managers can create trust and transparency in their organizations
  • How a manager can support change in a company
  • How company managers can minimize employee complaints
  • How managers can create an inclusive workforce
  • What training methods can managers use to empower employees?
  • Effective conflict resolution techniques for company managers
  • How to effectively communicate with the upper management
  • How managers can encourage innovation and initiative
  • How managers can lower stress among employees
  • How managers can promote effective discipline
  • Which skills should managers cultivate to support company employees?
  • How a manager can provide performance feedback
  • How managers can develop performance standards and goals

Women’s Leadership Research Paper Topics

  • How family responsibilities affect female leaders
  • How the personality of women leaders differ from that of men
  • What are the primary barriers to women’s leadership?
  • How powerful women leaders define work and success
  • How lack of sufficient household support affects women leaders
  • Society stereotypes that threaten women’s leadership
  • How great women leaders can inspire people to take action
  • How influential women leaders juggle between family and work
  • Family business success- What is the role of women?
  • How women can change organizational leadership
  • How women leaders can help in unlocking the full economic potential of a country
  • Do current male leaders resist female leaders?
  • How women’s leadership style differs from that of men
  • How gender stereotypes affect female leaders
  • How modern female leaders balance careers and family

Excellent Leadership Research Paper Topics

  • Leadership and service quality
  • How leadership and power relate
  • Strategic leadership- A critical examination
  • Discuss theorists and theories on leadership
  • Describe the role of leadership in a medical facility
  • How transformational leadership can benefit women
  • Effective styles for strategic leadership
  • Scientific methods for studying leadership
  • How a company’s leadership can manage change effectively
  • Participative approach versus autocratic leadership
  • Investigating leadership through a behavioral approach
  • Innovation and leadership in a business
  • Describe how contingency leadership works
  • Variations in ethical leadership
  • How to develop a leadership strategy in an organization
  • Why leadership models are valuable
  • How ethical leadership can influence decision-making
  • Leadership strategies as success factors
  • Strategy as leadership and practice
  • How school governance affects school leadership

Leadership Speech Topics

  • The power of effective leadership
  • How to become a leader
  • How to lead with inclusion and integrity
  • The golden rule of outstanding leadership
  • How effective leadership looks like
  • Transactional or transformational leadership- What works?
  • Leadership and dissent- Doing the right versus doing something right
  • How to be a transformative leader
  • How to understand and work with followers as a leader
  • Practicing Leadership in an inter-agency Context
  • How a leadership vision can propel an organization forward
  • How a leader can adapt and listen to changes in an organization
  • What makes a strategic leader?
  • How to make a difference using leadership
  • How to lead with compassion
  • Qualities that every great leader should exhibit
  • How consistent efforts make great leaders
  • How to practice effective leadership
  • Why do organizations need moral leaders
  • Qualities that made great leaders in history

Great Leadership Research Topics

  • What are the key characteristics of transformational leadership?
  • Ethical leadership theories and models
  • Characteristics and distinctions of management and leadership
  • An investigation into team leadership
  • Discuss different leadership and management styles
  • Explain radical leadership with examples
  • A case study of Bill Gates’ leadership
  • Which are the best leadership practices?
  • Investigating leadership and management across culture
  • Leadership concepts, according to Kentucky Fried Chicken
  • Moral and cultural contingencies of leadership
  • Socrates and organizational leadership
  • Othello and Machiavelli’s leadership skills
  • How Diversity affects the leadership effectiveness
  • What is ethical leadership?
  • Aspects of leadership and team behavior
  • Leadership and management in business- How they relate
  • Motivation and leadership- What’s the difference?
  • Leadership as a strategy in human resource and company policies
  • Discuss the hospitality industry’s leadership and management

Nursing Leadership Research Topics

  • What are the qualities of the best nurse leaders?
  • A review of ethical nursing leadership and practice
  • How a Nurse leader can manage Stress
  • What are the values of ethical nursing leadership and training?
  • Trends in nursing leadership
  • Nursing leadership fundamentals
  • Practice experience that every nurse leader should exhibit
  • Assessing nursing leadership in third-world Countries
  • Essential nursing leadership areas to study
  • How to balance nursing leadership and service quality
  • Strategies for developing nurse leaders
  • Criteria for being Considered a nurse leader’s mentor
  • The global status of nurse leaders
  • Why nursing leadership is vital in healthcare management
  • Vital skills for a nurse leader during an emergency

Medical Leadership Research Topics

  • Challenges facing nursing leaders
  • Nursing leadership from a patient’s perspective
  • How concept-based learning techniques affect nurse leaders
  • What leadership means to nurses
  • How nursing leadership differs in private and public hospitals
  • Nursing leadership Status in private hospitals
  • Disadvantages of being a nurse leader
  • Qualities of a practical nursing leadership program
  • How to apply nursing leadership in a nursing home
  • The role of nurse leaders in public hospitals
  • A comparison of nursing leadership in an adult ward and a pediatric ward
  • Long and short-term goals for Nurse leaders
  • Activities for enhancing nursing leadership
  • What are the inherent nurse leaders’ values?
  • Leadership from a nurse perspective- What does it mean?

Read more: Great Nursing Research Topics for Impressive Content

Outstanding Leadership Research Topics

  • The role of leadership in a multinational company
  • Is servant leadership effective in school administration?
  • Leadership principles of effective teachers
  • Effective leadership learning processes in an organization
  • Integrating different leadership styles
  • Evaluation of John Kennedy and Bill Clinton’s political leadership
  • How political leadership can affect an organization
  • A critical perspective on leadership and management
  • How managers can motivate employees by serving as their leaders
  • Leadership and motivation theories
  • Why strong leadership is crucial in a business organization
  • An analysis of the most influential leader in the world
  • Servant and followership leadership
  • Leadership and education role modeling
  • Analyzing Ciulla Joanne’s The Ethics of Leadership
  • Creativity and leadership revision
  • How effective leadership can enhance employees’ productivity
  • Analyzing the authoritative leadership style
  • Leadership role in solving organizational challenges
  • Effective management and leadership strategies

Hot Leadership Training Research Topics

  • How can executives encourage succession in their companies?
  • How can I empower my colleagues with authority?
  • Conflict resolution and the role of organizational leaders.
  • How can senior leadership and management be changed?
  • Why can’t leaders just give orders and command respect instead?
  • Training programs empower educators to put leadership techniques into practice.
  • Reducing racial misconduct in institutions of higher learning.
  • Transferring to the kids the greatness of the teacher.
  • Conflicts in leadership positions: Impact on pupils and the school.
  • An effective leadership development program is required.
  • The effectiveness of multidisciplinary teams in running a middle school.
  • Describe how inadequate leadership contributes to poor academic performance.
  • How can managers inspire and involve staff members?
  • How can business executives improve human relations?
  • How can decision-making abilities improve organizations and foster confidence?
  • How instructors might motivate students to take tests and exams more seriously
  • Do educators receive enough training to become strong leaders?
  • Should educational institutions grade instructors based on their capacity for leadership?
  • What adjustments to the training options can motivate educators to use leadership techniques?
  • How leadership in education affects one’s chances of success.
  • Leadership in education not only creates the spark but also follows the route with vigor and excitement.

Latest Research Topics on Leadership Training

  • Society can be transformed by leadership in education.
  • how educational leadership incorporates the community.
  • The efficiency of interdisciplinary teams in administering middle schools.
  • The leadership role of women in education.
  • The social organization’s influence on educational institutions.
  • Tow to lessen racism in recognized academic institutions.
  • How educators can aid learners in passing with ease.
  • How educational institutions may give great leadership by thinking in innovative ways.
  • How does a leader develop their staff in terms of managing their time and energy?
  • Examining the methods a leader uses to inspire or engage their workforce.
  • Examine critically the methods used by organizational leaders to increase worker productivity.
  • How to create training modules for leaders.
  • The role of a leader in supporting succession in organizations.
  • Explain how an international company leader affects the organizational culture as a whole.
  • A company’s leadership creates work teams that critically evaluate.
  • How does assumption-oriented planning reduce costs for the company?
  • A manager motivates his employees—role. management’s
  • women’s personalities and their importance in leadership.

Fantastic Leadership Research Paper Topics

  • Write about the leadership strategies of Mark Zuckerberg.
  • Discuss Wal-Mart’s leadership in crafting and executing strategy.
  • Analyze the perceptions of Women leadership in the UAE.
  • Write about democratic leadership style and responsibilities.
  • Analyze country-club leadership style in the teaching profession.
  • Discuss leadership and globalization in the US and Japan.
  • Write about sports leadership skills.
  • Discuss the taxonomy of leadership theories.
  • Compare the leadership styles of Barack Obama and Ronald Regan.
  • Write about Howard Schultz’s Servant leadership at Starbucks.

To write a brilliant leadership assignment, you can use any research paper topics and ideas suggested above. In case, you are not sure what topic to choose or how to write an effective leadership research paper, feel free to reach out to us .

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topics for leadership research paper

182 Hot Leadership Research Topics For You

leadership research topics

Do you have a research paper in leadership, and you are stuck or wondering how to get good grades? The first step is selecting a good topic because it will determine how easy or challenging the rest of the process will be. However, selecting good leadership research topics is always challenging because the subject is very wide. Also, writing a high-quality leadership research paper or even business term papers is tough because it requires good research, analytical, and writing skills – a combination that is rare in many students. So, is there a way to prepare high quality papers and get top grades? The answer is “yes,” and we are here to help. This post digs deeper into leadership research papers to help you understand what they are, how to write them like a pro, and finally highlights 182 hot topics for top grades.

What Is Leadership All About?

Leadership is the art of leading a group of people or an organization. The concept is practiced everywhere you go. It is used in schools, home, politics, businesses, church, and government. Therefore, everyone is expected to develop some leadership skills because he/she will, at some point, become a leader.

To hone their focus and skills in leadership, teachers in college often ask students to prepare leadership research papers. Therefore, these papers do not just test the research and writing skills, but also prepare the student to become the next generation leaders. Note that leadership and management should not be confused. This is a common mistake made by many students. Although the two concepts overlap, they are very different. Leadership mainly relates to visions and beliefs, while management focuses on using specific tools and techniques.

How To Write A Good Leadership Research Paper

Now that you know what leadership is all about, how do you go about writing a great research paper? Here are the main steps to follow:

  • Step one: Understand the assignment from your teacher. For example, does your teacher want you to focus on a specific area, such as nursing? What about the writing style, the number of words, and the deadline?
  • Step two: Select the preferred topic. This is a very important stage because it sets the stage for the rest of the paper. Make sure to select a topic that is interesting and fun to work on. Also, check to ensure the topic has ample resources to use.
  • Step three: Research your topic and develop a thesis statement. Armed with the right topic and resources, it is time to carry intensive research on the topic and gather the points that you will discuss in the paper. You should also develop your thesis statement.
  • Step four: Create the leadership research paper outline. This is your guide, which highlights the structure of the paper. It also tells you where different points will go in the research paper. Note that the structure might be adjusted slightly to cater for more high-value points or supporting evidence that you might get along the way.
  • Step five: Write the first draft of the research paper, starting with the introduction, a compelling body, and finally, conclusion.
  • Step Six: Revise the first draft, confirming that all the points are done well, there is good flow, and the lecturer’s instructions are followed. You might want to ask a friend to help with proofreading so that errors that might have skipped your eyes are also noted.

Many students find writing a research paper challenging. Once you are through with all the six steps, your paper is ready for submission. Next, we will highlight the best leadership research topics that you should consider for your assignment.

Research Questions About Leadership

  • What is the most effective leadership style and how should it be applied?
  • How does corruption impact leadership development?
  • What is the importance of leadership succession in organizations?
  • What roles do leaders play in empowering others?
  • What are the main leadership style differences between America and Asia?
  • Leadership in East Europe and the Far East: What are the main differences?
  • What distinct leadership features can you identify in Bill Gates’ management style?
  • Why do followers listen to leaders? Analyzing the speech tactics and patterns.
  • What are the main differences between baby boomers and millennial leadership styles?
  • What leadership style is practiced in the Catholic Church?
  • Diversity in the auto industry leadership: Why is it so important?
  • Bureaucratic structure in government: What impacts does it have on leadership in government?
  • What skills does every leader require for success?
  • Accelerating growth in organizations: What leadership strategies should your organization have?
  • Cross-cultural leadership style: What are the main challenges?
  • What is the main difference between being a follower and a leader?
  • Who are the most influential leaders in history?
  • What role do ethics play in developing a good leader?
  • What makes a leader believable?
  • What are the different types of leadership styles?

Organizational Leadership Topics

  • How staff characteristics impact a person’s leadership style.
  • What are the impacts of technology in organization leadership?
  • Sociological factors and how they impact leadership styles.
  • Economic and political factors: What impacts do they have in organizational leadership?
  • Organization culture: Is it an obstacle to effective leadership?
  • Organization change: How can leadership overcome it to improve the performance of an organization?
  • Comparing organizational leadership in the 20th and 21st centuries.
  • Business leadership model: A case study of Virgin Atlantic.
  • Theory of organizational humanism in leadership: What are the limitations?
  • Comparing the leadership styles of President Barack Obama to Donald Trump.
  • Training: How does it impact leadership experience?
  • Is age an important parameter in determining leadership experience?
  • A review of top job markets that demand experience in leadership.
  • Comparing online and in-class training and their effectiveness in building good leaders.
  • Are leaders born or nurtured?
  • Can a good leader change and become a bad one?
  • Comparing Hitler and Clinton leadership styles?
  • Comparing political leadership to political leadership.
  • What are the main challenges to good organizational leadership?
  • Angel Merkel’s leadership style review.

Good Leadership Paper Topics

  • Organizational behavior and theory.
  • To what level can personality traits predict an individual’s leadership capabilities?
  • Leadership values and ethics application in public schools in the UK.
  • A review of leadership and cultural differences.
  • Globalization and organizational change.
  • Women leaders and how they are changing society.
  • Comparing transformational and transactional leadership.
  • Developing good international business leadership skills.
  • Leadership roles: A case study of Apple Incorporation.
  • Leadership programs in business.
  • Leadership and communication.
  • Changing a person’s leadership style.
  • What are the main challenges faced in leadership?
  • Clearing path to effective leadership.
  • Leadership and followership.
  • Entrepreneurial leadership and management in startups.
  • A review of theories of leadership development.
  • Principled leadership in the UK.
  • Emotional intelligence in organization leadership.
  • A review of the key functions of a leader.

Unique Leadership Topic Ideas

  • Should coaching and mentorship be made mandatory for all leaders?
  • What benefits come with using autocratic leadership in the 21st century?
  • Charismatic leadership can be very dangerous: Discuss with examples.
  • Should all leaders enforce affirmative action in their organizations?
  • Impact of political factors in organization leadership.
  • What conflict resolution skills does your most preferred world leader depict?
  • A leader is tested by the challenging situations he/she faced along the way: Discuss.
  • Strategies you can use to build trust among your followers in an organization.
  • Managing organizations in the 21st century: What strategies can you use to keep your staff motivated?
  • Is leadership coaching important in running modern organizations?
  • Leadership training: Does it always result in good management?
  • Is pursuing a course in leadership worth it?
  • Leadership training: How can it benefit an organization?
  • What qualities should make you pursue a course in leadership training?
  • If you do not intend to lead an organization, is learning leadership necessary?

Leadership Topics for Discussion

  • The theme of attractiveness in leadership.
  • How core competencies of leadership function in the hospitality industry.
  • How does charismatic leadership theory add to the leadership role in operational excellence?
  • Globalization impact on leadership in financial institutions.
  • Reviewing the current principles of leadership perspectives from a global perspective.
  • The practical role of managing leadership in driving performance of complex organizations.
  • How effective was female leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic era? A case study of New Zealand.
  • Reviewing leadership challenges in the management of international football: A case study of Barcelona Football Club.
  • Analyzing bias in education management: A comparative review of colleges in Europe.
  • Communication and leadership: A discussion.
  • Othello’s leadership skills review.
  • Leadership challenges in modern organizations.

Research Topics for Educational Leadership

  • Managing US-based universities: How does leadership quality matter?
  • How does institutional management shape learners as future leaders?
  • Comparing learning institutions with women versus those with men’s leadership.
  • What role does educational leadership play in society?
  • Education leadership and its impact in learners’ career paths.
  • How does education leadership promote transformation in society?
  • What role do women play in education leadership?
  • Teachers’ excellence: Evaluating methods that can be used to pass it to learners.
  • Analyzing the negative traits of learners and how it impacts students in college.
  • Fight for leadership positions in colleges: How does it impact students?
  • How does culture impact the running of universities? A case study of Cambridge University.
  • Technology impact in running education organizations.
  • Running educational institutions during a pandemic: A review of Harvard University management model at the height of COVID-19 pandemic.
  • What are the implications of social media on the management of colleges today?
  • Reviewing the effectiveness of interdisciplinary teams in the leadership of schools.
  • Should we include the community in the learning of education organizations?
  • Use of performance appraisals on the leadership of elementary schools in the UK.
  • A holistic review of gendered leadership on learning of secondary schools in Asia.
  • Student performance and parent expectations: The mediating role of education institutions.
  • Is it possible to learn leadership and management?
  • Standard testing educational programs: Analyzing their efficiency.

Leadership Dissertation Topics

  • A thematic review of leadership at Toyota Motors.
  • Leadership and organization change: A case study of Johnson and Johnson Company.
  • What is the best leadership strategy during a crisis?
  • Ethical behavior and leadership: What are the main challenges to law enforcement personnel?
  • Comparing healthcare leadership in public and private hospitals.
  • Rethinking organization leadership theories.
  • The whole-person approach to leadership in organizations.
  • A review of emerging leadership theories.
  • The application of transformational leadership in human resources management.
  • Reviewing the effectiveness of leadership in Early Care and Education organizations.
  • What leadership styles are most common in manufacturing organizations?
  • Correction facilities leadership: What are the main shortcomings?
  • Power balances in leadership structures: A case study of New York police service.
  • Leadership and management styles in emerging countries.
  • Is it possible to please everyone in leadership? A literature review.
  • College performance: Should it form the basis of an individual’s leadership?

Nursing Leadership Paper Topics

  • Leadership in the operating room: What are the best practices?
  • A systematic review of nursing leadership in emphasizing that all patients are handled with care and dignity: A case study of UK private hospitals.
  • A review of the rapidly changing approaches to nursing leadership: A case study of New York hospitals.
  • Reviewing the leadership role in the changing healthcare priorities in the UK healthcare system.
  • What is the importance of business acumen in running a healthcare facility?
  • Gender bias in the nursing profession: what strategies can be used to address it?
  • Nursing uniform code rules: Are they important in promoting better services in the healthcare industry?
  • What is the convergent point of the nursing theories and leadership theories?
  • Do nurse leaders develop their skills before starting or after commencing practice?
  • What are the best strategies for addressing deficiencies in nursing leadership? A case study of Ireland’s healthcare system.
  • How effective is the nursing unit in healthcare? A review of a healthcare facility near you.

Leadership Research Paper Topics on Women and Gender

  • What are the main gender issues that affect women leaders?
  • What are the main factors that impact women leadership at the workplace?
  • Why do most countries not have women leadership?
  • Should all leaders in organizations be required by law to nurture women leaders?
  • Why do women leaders matter so much in modern society?
  • Roles of women in their families: How do they impact them as leaders?
  • Can colleges help nurture more female leaders?
  • Few women leaders in the US organizations are an indication of inequality in society.
  • Emotional intelligence: Can it help build more leaders?
  • Comparing the performance of a women-led and man-led organization.
  • Germany under the leadership of Angela Merkel: What leadership lessons can we learn?
  • Involvement of women in political parties: Are you satisfied?
  • Comparing women leadership in Africa and Asia.
  • Where do you see women leadership in the next 20 years? Discuss.

Interesting Leadership Paper Ideas

  • Why should leaders be empathetic?
  • What qualities make a good leader?
  • Comparing women and men leadership in the 20th century.
  • Responsibility: Why it is a critical quality of any leader.
  • Emotional people: Do they qualify for any leadership?
  • Selfish leaders: Can they bring any positive change?
  • Confidence helps to define a true leader.
  • Leadership skills are needed for one to qualify as a leader.
  • Can a person develop leadership qualities after getting elected?
  • How attitude prevents women from seeking top leadership positions.
  • What leadership qualities do you find in yourself?
  • The importance of leadership diversity.
  • Discuss transformational leadership in an organization of your choice.
  • What effect do leadership styles have on employee performance?
  • Leadership and team building.
  • Contemporary issues in modern leadership and management.
  • A deeper look at the human side of leadership and management.

Controversial Leadership Research Topics

  • What are the impacts of AI adoption on organization leadership?
  • Leveraging a culture of transformation: Does it mean that you are supporting people to finally topple you?
  • Can you achieve results without being coercive at work?
  • Are there instances where using unethical methods to achieve results can be justified?
  • Women or men: Who are better leaders?
  • Being positive: Does it always signify good leadership?
  • All sectors should be led by people who are highly experienced.
  • All students pursuing masters should undertake leadership courses.
  • Public relations students: Do they need to undergo leadership training?
  • Why do employers insist on hiring employees with good leadership qualities?
  • Is teamwork important in developing one’s leadership skills?
  • The best solution for effective leadership.
  • How do you lead an organization during a crisis?
  • Benefits that come with leading a team in your organization.
  • In what situations should leaders be limited?
  • A review of the United Nations Leadership: What areas do you think are lacking?

Get Help From Research Paper Writing Service

Now that you know the process to use for crafting the best papers for top grades, are you ready to start working on the paper? If you find it challenging because of whatever reasons, it will be a good idea to seek the assistance of professionals in academic writing. These are writers with years of experience helping university students with their assignments, and you can count on them for well-written work. Contact us with a “ do my research paper ” request and get a top grade. At our paper writing service, we work with native writers who carry in-depth analysis of leadership research questions or ideas from clients and deliver top quality custom papers. Even for the topic that you think is too complex, our ENL writers can handle it, creating a comprehensive paper that will guarantee you top grades. Why settle for low grades when our online research paper writing service that guarantees top grades is only a click away! Visit us today to buy custom research paper, plus get all other assignment needs! 

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Leadership Dissertation Topics

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  • Updated on  
  • Jan 10, 2023

Leadership Dissertation Topics

A dissertation is a lengthy essay that is based on the independent research of the author. In the final semester of UG , PG , and PhD courses, it is submitted. The dissertation requires a lot of research and written documentation, so it usually takes 1-2 years to finish. The purpose of a dissertation is to evaluate a student’s capacity for research. Through this, students can improve their research , problem-solving , project management , and numerical skills. Students learn how to present their evidence-based conclusions to the thesis they selected while writing a dissertation.

This Blog Includes:

Leadership dissertations, leadership and organisational culture, negative leadership and its effects on the organization, how employee productivity can lead to effective leadership, how decision making can make an influence ethical leadership, how organisational challenges can be solved through a leadership role, additional leadership dissertation topics, skills required, organize your time first, leave the introduction until the conclusion, don’t wait until the very last minute to ask your boss for feedback.

Leading and guiding subordinates for group well-being is a quality of leadership . Few people actually succeed in achieving their dream of becoming a leader. It’s because management and leadership are two very dissimilar ideas. Neither a manager nor a leader can be both at the same time. Consequently, a leader is capable of managing a team without having formal authority.

Having said that, exploring and studying the field of leadership is fascinating. If you want to write a dissertation on leadership and are in desperate need of some outstanding leadership research topics , don’t worry; we’ve got you covered. Find the most interesting and pertinent list of leadership research topics.

Below mentioned is a suitable list of leadership dissertation topics to guide you as a potential researcher.

To analyse how leaders can help in improving the culture of the organization.

To check how negative leadership can affect the organization.

To examine how the productivity of employees can turn out in leadership quality.

To analyse how effective decision-making can make ethical leadership.

To analyse how leaders can be helpful in sorting out organisational challenges.

Check out the additional leadership dissertation topics mentioned below:

  • How Leadership & Sustainability can lead to Climate Crisis
  • Transformations and leadership
  • How emotional intelligence can enhance leadership development
  • Team Behavior and Aspects of Leadership
  • Effective leadership learning processes in an organisation
  • How do your innovation strategy and leadership create a business?
  • A closer look at leadership in evidence-based management
  • How can communication skills enhance leadership development?
  • How do leadership and management relations build up a business?
  • Analysis of leadership style on the performance of employees
  • Exploring the link between poor leadership and organizational culture?
  • A critical analysis of social and leadership skills for new Entrepreneurs

No matter what kind of dissertation you write or what subject you choose, you must demonstrate the following skills:

  • Defining and outlining a research topic with a particular issue: determining the most significant issues.
  • Getting the required information: Taking its reliability and validity into account.
  • Considering the evidence from both sides of a debate to reach a well-informed decision
  • putting your study’s results into a coherent, engrossing, and persuasive presentation while adhering to all formatting requirements.

Effective Dissertation Writing Tips

Some of the main writing tips to write a dissertation are as follows:

Create a schedule for the day and specify your deadlines. Determine how long a section or chapter will take to write. Select the time and begin working on it. You’ll be able to finish this within the allotted time if you do it in this manner.

Keep in mind that the first draught of your essay is not the finished product. Verify your writing several times for errors. This will force you to be more specific when describing your augmentations.

To give yourself time to collect your thoughts, try to write the main body first. As you have been working on the introduction for a while, you will be able to present it clearly in this way.

Try to share your research work more frequently and much earlier than the deadline to give yourself plenty of time to correct any mistakes. You might be able to avoid having to rewrite several chapters and sections.

Use a reference manager to save time and make it simpler for you to cite sources.

To get a sense of how to organise your dissertation, look at our example. Here is a guide that will walk you through the process of writing a dissertation.

One challenging quality for leadership skills is “Self-Awareness”.

It represents a study of theories, approaches to its development, and styles of leadership.

Becoming an effective leader depends on the leader’s leadership style. Successful leaders have vision and charisma, also Leaders should have an ongoing personality, and be talkative, careful and self-disciplined.

These were some popular leadership dissertation topics common for recruitment and admission processes. Hopefully, this blog has given you a better insight into leadership. For further assistance on how to prepare an application to universities abroad, seek help from the Leverage Edu experts to make your dream come true. Our mentors will help you draft a perfect application and guide you with other admission-related rounds. 

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Leadership Topics for Academic Research Papers

leadership topics

Essays and research papers on leadership topics are very common in high school, college, and university. These assignments come in different forms and lengths. In some cases, students are even asked to come up with leadership topics for discussion in class. Some educators even ask students to give examples of iconic leaders in their communities. These can include presidents, community leaders, team captains, and coaches.

Therefore, leadership is a study area that learners can extensively write about or discuss. But, the most important thing is to choose the right leadership topic ideas.

Leadership Research Topics: What To Write About?

  • Interesting Leadership Topics
  • Hot Leadership Training Topics

Organizational Leadership Dissertation Topics

Women in leadership topics, educational leadership research topics.

A paper or essay on leadership focuses on leaders. It gives special consideration to the achievements and challenges faced by those readers and how they overcame them. A leader exhibits certain qualities and skills. These are what enable them to lead and other people agree to follow them.

Topics about leadership can also explore these issues. If you’ve been asked to write an essay or paper in this field, here is a list of leadership topics to consider before getting thesis writing help .

Interesting Leadership Topics

Perhaps, you’re looking for exciting topics about leadership for your papers and essays. In that case, this category has the best options for you. Here are some of the topics that will catch the attention of every reader.

  • Methods that companies and leaders should use to bridge the gap between socioeconomic status and races
  • Should mentoring and coaching classes be mandatory for leaders?
  • Transformation leadership is about persuasion and changing minds
  • Transformational leadership versus transactional leadership
  • Transformational leadership is the key to effective organizational change
  • What are the benefits of autocratic leadership?
  • Important characteristics of an autocratic leader
  • How bureaucracies kill leaders
  • Charismatic leadership can be dangerous- Explain
  • Laissez-faire leadership behavior can be destructive- explain
  • How diversity boosts leadership and innovation
  • Should college performance form the basis of leadership?
  • Should leaders enhance affirmative action at their workplaces?
  • Does leadership training help bring up better leaders?
  • Can employees’ characteristics influence workplace leadership?
  • How does technology impact leadership?
  • What sociological factors influence the leadership style of a person?
  • What are the effects of political and economic factors on organizational leadership?
  • Can organizational culture hinder effective leadership?
  • How does the employees’ role affect leadership?

Choose the leadership topics to write about from this category if looking for something exciting to explore. Nevertheless, be ready to spend some time researching your topic to come up with a brilliant paper or essay.

Hot Leadership Training Topics

Leadership training benefits new, current, and even future leaders. People that want to become supervisors and managers can pursue this training. Here are some of the best leadership development topics that learners can explore.

  • What conflict resolution skills should a leader have?
  • How can a leader deal with change
  • Why are problem-solving skills important for a leader?
  • Why should a leader lead in innovation?
  • Why is virtual leadership important in the contemporary world?
  • Project delegating and planning are important for modern leaders- explain
  • How can a leader build respect and trust?
  • Can leadership coach boost employees’ performance?
  • Why communication skills are important for a leader
  • How can a leader keep his or her followers motivated?
  • Should leadership training be mandatory for managers and supervisors?
  • How can leadership training benefit an organization?
  • Is leadership coaching necessary?
  • Are leaders made through training or born?
  • Are there common standards for leadership training?
  • Does leadership training lead to effective management?
  • Is leadership training important?
  • Why should you pursue a course in leadership training?
  • Can training more leaders enhance community development?
  • What qualities should prompt you to pursue a course in leadership?

Leadership training teaches a person the techniques and skills they need to succeed once they become leaders. Any of these leadership research topics is a great choice for anybody that wants to become a leader through training.

Are you looking for a dissertation topic and you want to explore the organizational leadership field? If yes, here are some of the best leadership dissertation topics to consider.

  • Motivation factors that can help organizational leaders implement changes
  • How important are leadership changes in an organization?
  • Are the functions of middle-level leaders important in organizational decision-making?
  • What role does leadership change within an organization play?
  • Assess the leadership and management contingent role for the middle-level management
  • Can women use men’s leadership styles within organizations initially dominated by males and employees have this perception?
  • How the use of messaging apps and free calling by leaders influence organizational communication
  • Effect of leadership behaviors and organizational culture on company management
  • Organizational leadership within a multicultural environment
  • How can army leaders manage different workgroups?
  • How can blended learning techniques improve organizational leadership?
  • How can effective leadership save organization money?
  • How can leadership influence the overall culture of an organization?
  • How can good leadership improve the performance of an organization?
  • Should all organizations be compelled to ensure gender balance in leadership?
  • What are the major leadership challenges in most organizations?
  • Can an organization mold leaders?
  • Why should organizations develop leaders who will eventually take over?
  • Why should organizational leaders keep up with technology?
  • How can organizational leaders encourage employees to perform better?

These are great dissertation topics in leadership that you can explore if ready to spend time researching and writing. Nevertheless, you should be ready to find relevant examples and case studies to write a brilliant paper about any of these leadership thesis topics.

Women’s leadership topics are common at different academic levels. In some cases, students are asked to come up with leadership presentation topics that focus on females. Here are some of the best women leadership research paper topics that learners can consider.

  • How society can bring up more women leaders
  • Why most countries don’t have many women leaders
  • Can universities help bring up more female leaders?
  • How does culture affect female leaders?
  • Can organizations help bring up more women leaders?
  • How are women leaders changing their societies?
  • Main challenges facing women leaders
  • Can older women inspire more women leaders?
  • Can emotional intelligence help in raising more women leaders?
  • How does the role of women in their families affect their leadership?
  • Gender issues that affect female leaders
  • How organizational cultures affect women leaders
  • Culture and women leadership
  • How politics affect female leaders
  • Role of women in political leadership
  • Power abuse by female leaders
  • Factors affecting women leadership at the workplace
  • Why women leadership matters in modern society
  • How the economies of most countries affect female leadership
  • Factors affecting women leadership in the military

These are great leadership essay topics to consider if you want to focus more on female leaders. Again, be ready to research extensively to find relevant examples to support your argument once you choose any of these topics.

Many students are interested in dissertation topics in educational leadership. This is a good study area because educational leadership plays a crucial role in the success of learning institutions. As such, this field is a source of great leadership discussion topics that are worth exploring. Here are some of the best leadership paper topics that learners should consider.

  • What role does education leadership play in society?
  • What are the effects of education leadership on literature and researches?
  • How does education leadership affect a person’s success?
  • Can education leadership cause transformation?
  • How to include the community in education leadership
  • What role can women play in education leadership?
  • How multidisciplinary teams affect the running of educational institutions
  • How cultural organization affects leadership in educational institutions
  • How poor leadership can lead to poor educational results
  • How social media affects educational leadership
  • Effects of technology on educational leadership
  • Why mediocre schools should simulate the leadership of the best performing educational institutions
  • How culture affects educational leadership
  • How fighting for leadership among teachers affect students’ performance
  • Role of students in educational leadership
  • How can education leadership mold future leaders?
  • Which is the best leadership style for educational institutions?
  • How can teachers improve education leadership?
  • What role can parents play in education leadership?
  • Why educational leaders should delegate duties

This category also has great leadership speech topics. Nevertheless, you should be prepared to research and cite examples if you choose any of educational research topics .

Leadership is a broad subject. If you can’t find a topic to write about from this list, consider leadership meeting topics and leadership topics for managers. If looking for more specialized ideas in this subject, consider something like nursing leadership paper topics. But regardless of the topic you choose, take your time to research and analyze information to come up with a solid paper.

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Systematic Review

A systematic review of literature about leadership and organization.

Received: April 19, 2018;   Accepted: June 26, 2018;   Published: February 26, 2019

How to cite this article

Introduction.

From trait theory, through human relations school of thought, to contingency and/or situational model, leadership research has come a long way 1 . However, as observed by Wren 2 , still very little is known about leadership and much remain unexplained. Around a century back, Stogdill 1 remarked, “There are almost as many different definitions of leadership as there are persons who have attempted to define the concept”. More recently, while commenting on the huge number of articles written about leadership, Winston and Patterson 3 state that there seem to be a lot of blind men describing a moving elephant. Winston and Patterson 3 further remark that even 90+ dimensions of leadership are not sufficient enough to understand leadership. Such has been the history of leadership research that no clarity or consensus about its definition, styles, effective methods, etc., could emerge in the literature even after centuries of research.

During the last two decades or so, focused research about leadership issues has started gaining ground 4 . The field is now starting to take a rather holistic view of leadership as a result of which more positive forms of leadership are getting incorporated into the literature. This can mainly be attributed to the introduction and popularity of focused yet holistic journals in the field of leadership.

The journal covered under this article has emerged as one of the most regarded journal in the field of leadership research. While most of the prominent journals focus on either of organizational or leadership issues, this journal takes a coherent view and attempts to understand the effective application of leadership and other issues in an organizational context. Its vision of advancing the theory, research and practice of all aspects of leadership and organizations, makes the journal attract a wide range of contributors and readers from academia and corporate world. In order to inform the researchers and readers about the directions in the integrated field of leadership and organizational research, this paper systematically reviews the research papers published in the journal between 2010 and 2017 and makes an attempt to set-up the research agenda for future.

This paper uses the methodology of systematic review. Presenting a critique of reviews conducted in the field of Management research, Hart 5 maintains that those are usually narrative and biased as per the implicit biases of the researcher. This view is also supported by Davies 6 , Sharma and Bodla 7 , Sharma and Sanchita 8 . Davies 6 further argues that systematic reviews help overcome these limitations by bringing out the consistencies and variability’s of studies reviewed. In their landmark work on the methodology of systematic reviews, Tranfield et al . 9 stress upon producing a reliable knowledge stock by developing context-sensitive research. This paper follows the methodological rigor suggested by Tranfield et al . 9 .

THEORETICAL FRAME OF REFERENCE

Intended to recognize the key themes in reviewed literature, the authors conducted a systematic analysis of 208 papers published during 2010 to 2017 10 - 14 . For current study, the broad areas were leadership motivation, leadership excellence and leadership communication. These subjects were further divided into following topics:

Leadership style in general
Moderating factors
Quitting intentions
Leadership perception
Role in learning

Effect on job performance and work satisfaction: Taking into consideration the themes of the reviewed literature, this paper briefly presented these topics in the following sub-sections. It was important to emphasize that the objective of this section was not to discuss the main topics in leadership and organization but rather to present the themes explored by papers published during the selected time-frame.

Leadership style in general: Successful leader was one who can influence the followers to achieve the organizational objective. Different leadership styles affect the organizational and employee performance differently 15 . Leadership style did;//mz affect the culture of the concern, thus its efficiency. Leadership is a process of influencing the followers socially so that they can participate intentionally to achieve the organizational objective 16 . Leadership style can affect organizational commitment and work satisfaction explicitly and work satisfaction can further positively affect organizational commitment and work performance. The perception of employees about the transactional and transformational leadership style has a high degree of correlation with the motivation factors of the leader in the organization. The style of leadership has an impact on satisfaction level and trust in the leader. Organizational citizenship behavior directly influences the relation between style of leadership and commitment towards the organization 17 .

Leadership style can be divided into two broad types, namely transformational and transactional. A transformational leader is one who is influential, innovative and encourages others. This type of style creates an open and trustworthy culture, which motivates them to achieve the goal 18 . Transactional leader focuses on supervision, organization and performance. Both reward and punishment have used as a tool to encourage the followers to fulfill the required task. In the current scenario an organization needs a leader who can understand the demand of a complex environment. The relation between the leader and an employee and the leadership style enhances the satisfaction level of the follower.

Moderating factors in leadership: Moderating variables in leadership had drawn attention in the recent research. A number of theories had explored the moderating effects of variety of factors like subordinate, work and psychology on the relation between leadership and effectiveness. Knickerbocker 19 projected a theory of leadership that emphasized on the needs of the employees’.Knickerbocker 19 maintained that a coordinated relationship between the team members was required to achieve the target of a team, which could be achieved by presence of a leader. His opined that leadership effectiveness was dependent on the need of the employees. In contrary to this theory, De Vries et al . 20 explored the moderating role of need for the leader and found that higher urge for leader showed weaker relation between work stress of employees and task oriented leader. De Vries et al . 20 further maintain that high task oriented leader makes the employee feel more pressurized and thus leads to stress. The need for leadership was related to the characteristics of a leader. The study raised two important questions-(a) when the employees need support of a leader, do they show and (b) would the leader change the style of motivation and inspiration depending on the need of the employees.

Quitting intentions and leadership: To remain competitive in the dynamic business environment, holding on to the productive human resources and reducing the employee turnover, is the key. High turnover rate among employees can adversely impact the company in terms of high training cost, high selection cost, decreased productivity and low staff morale. Loyalty towards organization and leader, leads to positive intentions in employees to stay with the organization for long time 21 . Transformational leadership were found to be negatively related to employees’ voluntary organizational turnover intention, on the other side availability of job opportunity did not affect the transformational leadership and turnover intention 22 . Long et al . 23 remark that transformational and transactional leadership styles had negative impact on quitting intention. Puni et al . 24 found a positive association between autocratic leadership style, quitting intentions and counterproductive work behavior and a negative relationship between democratic leadership style, quitting intentions and counterproductive work behavior. Puni et al . 24 further noted that the leaders using laissez faire style yield negative relation with quitting intentions but positive with counterproductive work behavior. Further, the study observed that in autocratic style of leadership, a leader emphasized more on productivity than on people due to which employees’ quitting intentions increased dramatically.

Leadership perception: The climate and organizational environment highly depends on the perception of leaders, managers and employees. Perception was a difficult part of human behavior, the perception of different individual need not to be same. In the context of organization it became difficult to accomplish objectives when leaders and followers had very different perception 25 .

In today’s organizational perspective employees expects leader to be people oriented as they consider team work, relationship building as a basic pillar for organizational management. Madden 26 in his study found that there was a stereotype that women were insecure, over controlling and enable to engage in team play. Helgesen 27 argued that women were relationship oriented, non-hierarchical and take interest in sharing power and information.

Perception which was negative can lead to wrong decision and it could be dangerous for the leaders well as organization. Understanding the perception was a process in which the leader needs to analyze the situation and information in a rational manner. Listening and communication skills of leader lead to deal with the situation more empathetically and efficiently.

Role in learning: The competency of a leader in terms of technical proficiency is positively related with the employees’ creativity and learning behavior. In addition to these learning acts as a mediator between innovativeness of employees and competencies of the leader 28 . The transformational leaders enhance creativity in employees. Therefore, companies prefer such candidates as leaders who possess these skills or at least have the potential to become one.

Brown and Posner 29 found that leadership development programs and approaches should accomplish at personal and emotional level which furthers enhance insights about self and helps in creating learning and leadership mind sets. Transformational learning theories could be used to help and develop transformational leader.

Effect of leadership on job performance and work satisfaction: Saleem 30 observed that transformational leadership style increased job satisfaction among employees while transactional leadership leaves a negative impact on job satisfaction of employees. Goleman 31 suggests, “a leader should hold each leadership style in his bag like a golfer and he should be well averse to know that what style he should use in which situation because at every round of golf, you cannot use the same ball”. It is important to know that contingency theories play an important role in enhancing the job satisfaction.

Rad and Yarmohammadian 32 concluded that employees showed less satisfaction with salaries, benefits, promotion and communication and they will more satisfied with type of job and good supervisor. They proved significant correlation between the leadership behaviors and employees and job satisfaction. Good relationship with staff increases the satisfaction level of employees; however, situational leadership can negatively impact job satisfaction of employees.

METHODS AND RESEARCH TECHNIQUES

This paper systematically reviews 208 papers published on leadership and related areas from 2010 through 2017. As shown in Fig. 1 , out of 208 papers selected for study, 33 were out of context so they have been rejected, 56 papers have been rejected on the ground of not being related to the topic. Finally 119 papers used for further systematic review which were related to leadership studies.

By summarizing the issues addressed by the journal during the reference period, the paper provided valuable insights to the current researchers about the research gap and future research areas of leadership 9 . This research was divided into five major tasks:

Explore the research papers that have been published during 2010 and 2017
Concise outline of the accepted articles for our research
Categorize the articles on the basis of features and coding those
Investigating the main points of the articles as also their limitations
Suggesting the areas and key points leading to future research

Research mechanism and implementation: To get the miniature view of the articles studied for this systematic review, the authors had tabulated the leading points by coding each distinct feature.

Fig. 1:Selection of papers for review
Table 1:Coding and categorization for systematic review

Some of the articles have also covered more than one subject or domain so, multiple codes have also been assigned to the article on different key areas. Table 1 depicted that first classification of codes had been based on the context. The culture of every country was different, so was their management view of getting the things done and their leadership style. A motivation or leadership technique that had been proved successful in one country may not be replicated in another country. In this classification of context, the countries were categorized into four series, i.e., developed country, developing and emerging country, under developed country and if the research was not specifically done in/or for a particular country then it was categorized as not applicable. The codes A to D had been used to classify the context to the research.

The next classification in Table 1 had been done on the basis of the geographical region. For the purpose of coding, seven geographical regions have been used, namely-USA, UK, France, Germany, China, India and Islamic countries represented by code A to G respectively. Code H had been assigned to the papers not belonging to any of these countries. In case, research was not country specific then I code was used.

The third classification was done on the basis of the objective of the study. Code A was assigned to the empirical studies, in which direct or indirect observation had been used to gain the knowledge. For case study method, code B was assigned. If the article makes theoretical and methodological contributions to the topic, it came under Code C. Code D was used for conceptual study, while code E has been assigned to the studies not falling in the above categories.

Main subject of the research articles reviewed forms the basis for the fourth classification. The papers were coded as A, B, C and D. It depicts the focus point of the study on which the research article is based. The key subjects taken for the systematic review were leadership motivation, leadership excellence and leadership communication and others.

Fifth classification had been done on the basis of the main topic of the research. This classification further narrows down the research area that had been chosen in fourth category. Codes ranging from A to I have been assigned. It includes topics resembling leadership style in general, moderating factors, quitting intentions, leadership perception and role in learning, effect on job performance, work satisfaction, virtual leadership and others.

The sixth classification makes an attempt to categorize the leadership style evaluated in the papers coded as letter A to H. This categorization holds significance since style provides direction, helps implement the plans and motivates people. Besides giving codes to seven styles of leadership, one code is assigned to a category where no particular style is studied.

Industry studied, forms the base for the seventh classification. Leadership style, the way of working, culture and organizational structure is not common across industry. So, this part has been divided into four categories, namely-manufacturing, service, trading and others. Codes have been assigned from A to D, respectively.

Eighth classification depicts the time period of the research. Time period of research was taken as very crucial distinction in research design categorization. This category had been divided into five codes ranging from A to E. A was assigned to the articles with time-frame of less than one year, B depicts 1-5 years, C is assigned to papers with time frame of 6-10, years followed by D for more than 10 years. E was assigned to the articles where the time period was not applicable.

Ninth classification involves identifying the research methods used for research. Codes A to G have been assigned to this category. It was important to classify whether research is qualitative or quantitative. Other categories in this classification include conceptual method, case study and others if a research paper does not fall in the given category.

The tenth classification reveals the sample size of the research article. By sample size, the authors recognize a group of subjects that is selected from the population. For this category, the codes range from A to D. A category covers articles with sample size of less than 50, B category includes sample size of 51-100, C category is for more than 100 and D category covers the papers not falling in any of the above categories.

The eleventh classification relates to the size of the industry and is coded from A to C. Large scale industry is coded by A, small and medium industry by B, while others are coded as C. Size of the industry is important to categorize as different sizes of industry show different types of results since the number of employees, decentralization level, span of control is not same in each size.

Lastly, the twelfth category highlights different aspects of the results from the articles under review. This category had been divided into five codes ranging from A to E. In this coding, attempt has been made to seek the results of articles based on the information gathered. It included whether the results were consistent with previous literature or does it offer a new perspective.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

This section revealed the data classification and categorization of 119 papers on the basis of codes assigned to those in the previous section. The results were produced in Table 2 followed by their analysis and interpretation. On the basis of results, research gaps had been highlighted for further research.

Context: The first classification identified the context of the papers under review. For the purpose of coding, the context was divided into four parts A, B, C and D. Code A was assigned to developed countries, code B for developing and emerging countries, for under developed countries code C was given and code D if it was not applicable to any of these. The results were shown in the form of pie chart in Fig. 2 .

Fig. 2:Context of the reviewed literature
Table 2:Coding and categorization of the reviewed literature
Fig. 3:Geographical area of the reviewed literature
Fig. 4:Objectives of the reviewed literature
Empirical study, B: Case study, C: Literature review, D: Conceptual and E: Others

As depicted by Fig. 2 , majority of the studies 14 , 17 , 22 , 26 were not country specific. None of the reviewed studies focused on underdeveloped countries, 13.45% of the studies 18 , 21 deal with developed countries, 5.88% studies had been done in the context of developing and emerging countries, while 5.04% of the research articles belong to the context of both developed and developing and emerging countries. This revealed that studies on leadership and organizational issues pertaining to the underdeveloped country were lacking. This indicated a major research gap that needs to be investigated in future research.

Geographical area: For this category, seven geographical regions have been used namely USA, UK, France, Germany, China, India and Islamic countries represented by codes A to G respectively. Code H is assigned to the papers that do not belong to any of these countries. In case research was not country specific, code I is used. Figure 3 shows the analyses of codes based on the geographical area. Figure 3 showed that majority 19 , 22 , 25 of research articles (75%) were not specific to any geographical area, 6% of the studies belong to USA and 8% deal with other countries, 5% research articles focus on China, while 1% do not belong to any of these countries.

Objective: The third classification refers to identifying the objectives of the analyzed papers. Code A is assigned to the empirical studies, code B is assigned for case study method, code C is assigned to the articles based on theoretical and methodological contribution, code D is used for conceptual studies focusing on concept or theory explaining the phenomenon, code E has been assigned to studies belonging to any other category. The results as shown in Fig. 4 revealed that 69% of the reviewed papers 14 , 16 , 17 , 22 , 24 , 26 employ the empirical method, while 18% were conceptual studies, 6% use case study method and literature review.

Main subjects: The next classification was based on the main subject of the research articles reviewed for systematic review as A, B, C and D. It depicts the focus point of the study. The key subjects taken for the coding are leadership motivation, leadership excellence, leadership communication and others. As shown by Fig. 5 , the main focus of maximum research in the articles studied 18 , 22 , 26 was on leadership excellence (29%). 4% of the articles are relate to leadership motivation and 4% to leadership communication.

Fig. 5:Main subjects of the reviewed literature
Fig. 6:Main subjects of the reviewed literature

The remaining articles focus on other than the given subjects. The combinations studied are leadership motivation and excellence (5%), Leadership excellence and others (8%). The analysis of main subject shows that there are certain avenues open for the researchers in study of leadership motivation and leadership communication, though the previous researchers have focused on leadership excellence.

Topics: This classification was based on identification of the main topic of research. The codes assigned for this category range from A to, I. This classification further narrows down the research area t chosen in the previous category. It includes topics resembling leadership style in general, moderating factors, quitting intentions, leadership perception and role in learning, effect on job performance, work satisfaction, virtual leadership and others.

As shown in Fig. 6 , many code combinations had got developed while analyzing the papers for this category. The topics emerged during the research were the combination of two or more subjects. About 6% of the papers focused on moderating factors and effect on job performance, 8% study other factors along with moderating factors, 5% cover effect on job performance, work satisfaction with grouping of other topics. All the other combinations of codes contribute to only 1%. Only few articles focus on a single topic.

Fig. 7: Leadership style evaluated by the reviewed literature
Fig. 8:Type of organization
Fig. 9:Time period studied by the reviewed literature

Leadership style evaluated: This classification is an attempt to categorize the leadership style evaluated in the papers studied, coded from A to H ( Fig. 7 ).

Fig. 10:Method of research in the reviewed literature

Besides giving codes to seven styles of leadership, one code is assigned to a category where no particular style is being evaluated. Majority of the studies (71%) do not concentrate on any particular leadership style, 15% of the articles evaluate transformational leadership style, 3% of the papers study mixed style and remaining researchers study combination of two or more styles.

Type of organization: This classification shows the categorization on the basis of industry. This part has been divided into three categories Manufacturing, Service, Trading and others. Codes have been assigned from A to D respectively. 21% articles focus on service industry, while 76% articles have not chosen any specific type of organization for their research. Figure 8 exhibits the results with regard to this classification.

Time period: The eighth classification depicts the time period of the research as exhibited in Fig. 9 . This category has been divided into five parts assigning codes from A to E; A- less than 1 years, B-1-5 years, C-6-10 years, D-10 years and more, E for the articles where time period is not applicable.92% percent of the articles do not cater to any specific time period, 5% articles base their analysis on less than one year, 2% of the research articles are based on 1-5 years of category.

Method: This category of classification involved identifying the research methods used for research as plotted in Fig. 10 . Codes from A to G had been assigned in which quantitative, qualitative, conceptual, quantitative and qualitative both, case study and none of these categories had been coded. About 42% of the papers use quantitative methods, 28% papers employed both quantitative and qualitative methods, 18% articles used conceptual method.

Sample size: This classification revealed the sample size of the articles analyzed as shown in Fig. 11 . For this category, codes ranged from A to D. A category contains the articles with sample size of under 50, B category comprises of papers with sample size of 51-100, C included papers with sample size of more than 100, D included papers other than these. Majority of the articles (52%) use the sample size more than 100, 40% articles fall in others category where sample size was not applicable, 6% articles had used sample size below 50.

Size of the industry: This classification related to size of the industry and the codes assigned ranged from A to C as shown in Fig. 12 . Large scale industry is coded by A, small and medium sized industry coded by B and others fall in category C. Most of the studies did not focus on analysis of a particular size of industry, 11% analyze the large industries, 2% focus on small and medium enterprises.

The last category ( Fig. 13 ) highlighted different aspects of the results of the research articles studied. This category had been divided into five codes ranging from A to E. It included whether the results were consistent with previous literature or leading to a new perspective, was it a previous model with different data set and time period, comparative study and others.

Fig. 11:Sample size in the reviewed literature
Fig. 12:Industry size
Fig. 13:Category A: New perspective, Category B: Consistent with previous literature, Category C: Previous model with different dataset/time period, D: Comparative study and E: Others

Majority of the articles (52%) present comparative analysis, 9% articles deal with each of category B and C that was consistent with previous literature and previous model with different data set and time period.

CONCLUSION AND FUTURE RECOMMENDATIONS

The main contribution of the current paper was to summarize the issues addressed by these articles and to bring out the research gaps. The current study explored 119 articles which were purely devoted to the study of leadership and organization. On the basis of the gaps explored, it can be stated that the research arena is wide open for the future research in the area of leadership and related areas that can be explored by novel research. The current research found that the future researchers can focus on underdeveloped countries and explore how leadership in organizations of underdeveloped countries can meet current and future organizational challenges. The future researchers can focus on conducting research in specific regions and explore the influence that leadership has on organizations of different regions. Future research can also focus on meta-analysis and explore the significance of case study/literature review or comparative analysis in addressing leadership problems in organizations. With respect to main subject of the study, it is found that most of the studies focus on leadership excellence whereas research on leadership motivation and communication is lagging behind. Therefore, future research can examine how leadership motivation and communication can help an organization achieve its results. It is vital to explore how an organization from a specific sector manages and motivates its employees through effective leadership. Future research can focus on other techniques that can justify the objective of leadership study.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT

This study holds immense significance for two core reasons. One, the paper consolidates the existing literature about leadership and organization. Two, the paper brings out the research gaps and sets a research agenda for future researchers in the field. The organic contribution of the authors is in listing out (a) the objectives that can be pursued by the future researchers, (b) the methodology that can be adopted by the future researchers, (c) the tools that can be put to use while researching in this area and (d) the industry that the future researchers may emphasize upon.

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Leadership Perspective: What Makes Leadership Development Impactful? Exploring a Whole-Person Approach

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Leadership and Management Dissertation Topics

Leadership and Management Dissertation Topics: Leadership and management are two distinct but related concepts. Leadership is the ability to inspire and guide individuals or groups to achieve a common goal. Management is the process of planning, organizing, and overseeing the work of a team to accomplish a task or goal.

Effective leadership involves setting a clear vision, communicating expectations, and providing support and guidance to team members. It also involves the ability to motivate and inspire others, build relationships, and make tough decisions.

Effective management involves organizing and allocating resources, setting goals and objectives, and measuring and evaluating progress. It also involves the ability to delegate tasks and responsibilities, solve problems, and make decisions based on data and analysis.

Both leadership and management are important for the success of any organization. While they are distinct concepts, they often overlap and are complementary skills that a successful leader or manager should possess.

Best Leadership and Management Dissertation Topics for college students

Although both leadership and management are different aspects of personality and have their own individual areas of operations.

However, when combined together, they provide a new area for students to research and check for. Dissertation topics in leadership and management focus on all those areas that provide combined results of leadership and management.

Studying these two topics separately does not provide as inclusive results as their combination can provide. Therefore, researchers always go for both these areas in a collective manner.

If you are also interested in understanding how leadership and management work together, you can take a look at our chosen list of research topics in the field that has been given below:

  • Leadership and management in mental health services: focusing on the role played by consumers in the field.
  • Governance, management and leadership in the domain of school federations: a descriptive approach.
  • Leadership versus management: how they are different and the same at the same time?
  • Teaching leadership and management to university level students through strategic planning: a qualitative analysis.
  • Studying the impacts of leadership and management practices on teacher engagement at university levels.
  • The role played by law in the domain of leadership and management in school federations: a review of the literature.
  • Leadership and management practices for the first-line social workers and managers: a quantitative approach.
  • Educational leadership and management: research methods being employed in the field.
  • Relationship between decision-making and leadership and management: a systematic analysis.
  • Relationship between leadership, management and spirituality in the healthcare domain: a correlational analysis.
  • Investigating the place of females in the domain of leadership and management: a historical analysis.
  • Cross-cultural leadership and management: the UK versus China.
  • Why is leadership and management training necessary for community nurses? A survey research design.
  • A comparative analysis of educational and organizational sectors on transformational leadership, commitment to change, and change management .
  • Relationship of transformational leadership and management practices and compliance with work behavior in the healthcare sector.
  • Women competing for leadership and management positions in organizations: potential challenges and interventions.
  • Factors related to the impacts of decision-making on leadership and management in organizational setups.
  • Leadership and management strategies in African organizations: a review of the literature.
  • Relationship between charismatic leadership and management in organizations: a descriptive approach.
  • Leadership and management in operation theaters: how the hospital industry is linked with this field?
  • Leadership and management in IT-centered organizations: a review of the literature.
  • Relationship between change management and change leadership: a historical analysis.
  • Impacts of leadership and management practices on organizational performance levels: a quantitative study.
  • Instructional leadership and organizational management in school sector: a review of the literature.
  • Effects of leadership on performance, knowledge sharing and efficacy in management teams: a systematic review.
  • Leaders versus managers: focus on the field of public administration.
  • Effects of leadership development programs on building managerial capacity in nonprofit organizations.
  • The future of educational leadership and management: a descriptive approach.

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Leadership Research Paper

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I. Introduction

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II. Leadership Defined

III. The Trait Approach to Leadership

IV. What Do Leaders Do? The Behavioral Approach

V. Situational Approaches to Leadership

VI. Contingency Theories of Leadership

VII. Leader-Member Exchange Theory

VIII. Charismatic and Transformational Leadership

IX. Leader Emergence and Transition

X. Leadership Development

XI. Summary

XII. Bibliography

More Leadership Research Papers:

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Introduction

There are few things more important to human activity than leadership. Most people, regardless of their occupation, education, political or religious beliefs, or cultural orientation, recognize that leadership is a real and vastly consequential phenomenon. Political candidates proclaim it, pundits discuss it, companies value it, and military organizations depend on it. The French diplomat Talleyrand once said, “I am more afraid of an army of 100 sheep led by a lion than an army of 100 lions led by a sheep.” Effective leadership guides nations in times of peril, promotes effective team and group performance, makes organizations successful, and, in the form of parenting, nurtures the next generation. Winston Churchill, the Prime Minister of Great Britain during World War II, was able to galvanize the resolve of his embattled people with these words: “I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears, and sweat.” When leadership is missing, the effects can be equally dramatic; organizations move too slowly, stagnate, and often lose their way. The League of Nations, created after the World War I, failed to meet the challenges of the times in large part because of a failure to secure effective leadership. With regard to bad leaders, Kellerman (2004) makes an important distinction between incompetent leaders and corrupt leaders. To this we might also add leaders who are “toxic.” Bad leadership can perpetuate misery on those who are subject to its domain. Consider the case of Jim Jones, the leader of the Peoples Temple, who in 1978 ordered the mass suicide of his 900 followers in what has been called the Jonestown Massacre, or the corrupt leadership of Enron and Arthur Anderson that impoverished thousands of workers and led to the dissolution of a major organization. These examples remind us that there are many ways in which leadership can fail.

Leadership Defined

When you think of leadership, the ideas of power, authority, and influence may come to mind. You may think of the actions of effective leaders in accomplishing important goals. You may think of actual people who have been recognized for their leadership capabilities. Dwight D. Eisenhower, 34th president of the United States, defined leadership as “the ability to decide what is to be done, and then to get others to want to do it.” Leadership can be defined as the ability of an individual to influence the thoughts, attitudes, and behavior of others. It is the process by which others are motivated to contribute to the success of the groups of which they are members. Leaders set a direction for their followers and help them to focus their energies on achieving their goals. Theorists have developed many different theories about leadership, and although none of the theories completely explains everything about leadership, each has received some scientific support. Some of the theories are based on the idea that there are “born leaders” with particular traits that contribute to their ability to lead. Other theories suggest that leadership consists of specific skills and behaviors. Some theories take a contingency approach that suggests that a leader’s effectiveness depends on the situation requiring leadership. Still other theories examine the relationship between the leader and his or her followers as the key to understanding leadership. In this research paper, we examine these various theories and describe the process of leadership development.

The Trait Approach to Leadership

Aristotle suggested that “men are marked out from the moment of birth to rule or be ruled,” an idea that evolved into the Great Person Theory. Great leaders of the past do seem different from ordinary human beings. When we consider the lives of Gandhi or Martin Luther King, Jr., it is easy to think of their influence as a function of unique personal attributes. This trait approach was one of the first perspectives applied to the study of leadership and for many years dominated leadership research. The list of traits associated with effective leadership is extensive and includes personality characteristics such as being outgoing, assertive, and conscientious. Other traits that have been identified are confidence, integrity, discipline, courage, self-sufficiency, humor, and mystery. Charles de Gaulle described this last trait best when he noted that “A true leader always keeps an element of surprise up his sleeve, which others cannot grasp but which keeps his public excited and breathless.”

Another trait often attributed to effective leaders is intelligence. However, intelligence is a two-edged sword. Although highly intelligent people may be effective leaders, their followers may feel that large differences in intellectual abilities mean large differences in attitudes, values, and interests. Thus, Gibb (1969) has pointed out that many groups prefer to be “ill-governed by people [they] can understand” (p. 218). One important aspect of intelligence that does predict leader effectiveness is emotional intelligence, which includes not only social skills but strong self-monitoring skills, which provide the leader with feedback as to how followers feel about the leader’s actions.

Finally, personal characteristics such as attractiveness, height, and poise are associated with effective leadership. After decades of research, in which the list of traits grew dramatically, researchers realized that the same person could be effective in one context (Winston Churchill as war leader) but ineffective in another context (Winston Churchill, who was removed from office immediately after the war was over). The failure of this approach to recognize the importance of the situation in providing clear distinctions between leaders and followers with regard to their traits caused many scientists to turn their attention elsewhere. However, theorists using more sophisticated methodological and conceptual approaches have revived this approach. Zaccaro (2007) suggests that the revival of the trait approach reflects a shift away from the idea that traits are inherited, as suggested in Galton’s 1869 book Hereditary Genius, and focuses on personal characteristics that reflect a range of acquired individual differences. This approach has three components. First, researchers do not consider traits as separate and distinct contributors to leadership effectiveness but rather as a constellation of characteristics that, taken together, make a good leader.

The second component broadens the concept of trait to refer not only to personality characteristics but also to motives, values, social and problem-solving skills, cognitive abilities, and expertise. For example, in a series of classic studies, McClelland and his colleagues (see McClelland & Boyatzis, 1982) identified three motives that contribute to leadership. They are the need for achievement, the need for power, and the need for affiliation. In their work, leader traits are not attributes of the person but the basis for the leader’s behavior. The need for achievement is manifested in the desire to solve problems and accomplish tasks. In the words of Donald McGannon, “Leadership is action, not position.” The need for power is evident in the desire to influence others without using coercion. As Hubert H. Humphrey once said, “Leadership in today’s world requires far more than a large stock of gunboats and a hard fist at the conference table.” The final motive, need for affiliation, can be a detriment to effective leadership if the leader becomes too concerned with being liked. However, it can provide positive results from the satisfaction a leader derives in helping others succeed. Lao Tse once wrote, “A good leader is a catalyst, and though things would not get done well if he weren’t there, when they succeed he takes no credit. And because he takes no credit, credit never leaves him.”

The third component of this new approach focuses on attributes that both are enduring and occur across a variety of situations. For example, there is strong empirical support for the trait approach when traits are organized according to the five-factor model of personality. Both extraversion and conscientiousness are highly correlated with leader success and, to a lesser extent, so are openness to experience and the lack of neuroticism.

What Do Leaders Do? The Behavioral Approach

Three major schools of thought—the Ohio State Studies, Theory X/Y (McGregor, 1960), and the Managerial Grid (Blake & Mouton, 1984)—have all suggested that differences in leader effectiveness are directly related to the degree to which the leader is task oriented versus person oriented. Task-oriented leaders focus on the group’s work and its goals. They define and structure the roles of their subordinates in order to best obtain organizational goals. Task-oriented leaders set standards and objectives, define responsibilities, evaluate employees, and monitor compliance with their directives. In the Ohio State studies this was referred to as initiating structure, whereas McGregor (1960) refers to it as Theory X, and the Managerial Grid calls it task-centered. Harry S. Truman, 33rd president of the United States, once wrote, “A leader is a man who can persuade people to do what they don’t want to do, or do what they’re too lazy to do, and like it.” Task-oriented leaders often see their followers as undisciplined, lazy, extrinsically motivated, and irresponsible. For these leaders, leadership consists of giving direction, setting goals, and making unilateral decisions. When under pressure, task-oriented leaders become anxious, defensive, and domineering.

In contrast, person-oriented leaders tend to act in a warm and supportive manner, showing concern for the well-being of their followers. Person-oriented leaders boost morale, take steps to reduce conflict, establish rapport with group members, and provide encouragement for obtaining the group’s goals. The Ohio State studies referred to this as consideration, the Managerial Grid calls this country club leadership, and McGregor uses the term Theory Y. Person-oriented leaders see their followers as responsible, self-controlled, and intrinsically motivated. As a result, they are more likely to consult with others before making decisions, praise the accomplishment of their followers, and be less directive in their supervision. Under pressure, person-oriented leaders tend to withdraw socially.

Leadership effectiveness can be gauged in several ways: employee performance, turnover, and dissatisfaction. As you can see in Table 68.1, the most effective leaders are those who are both task and person oriented, whereas the least effective leaders are those who are neither task nor person oriented. A recent meta-analysis found that person-oriented leadership consistently improves group morale, motivation, and job satisfaction, whereas task-oriented leadership only sometimes improves group performance, depending on the types of groups and situations.

In thinking about what leaders do, it is important to distinguish between leadership and management. Warren Bennis (1989) stated, “To survive in the twenty-first century, we are going to need a new generation of leaders— leaders, not managers.” He points out that managers focus on “doing things right” whereas leaders focus on “doing the right things.” Table 68.2 provides a comparison of the characteristics that distinguish a leader from a manager. As you look at the list, it is clear that a person can be a leader without being a manager and be a manager without being a leader.

Situational Approaches to Leadership

The Great Person theory of leadership, represented by such theorists as Sigmund Freud, Thomas Carlyle, and Max Weber, suggests that from time to time, highly capable, talented, charismatic figures emerge, captivate a host of followers, and change history. In contrast to this, Hegel, Marx, and Durkheim suggest that there is a tide running in human affairs, defined by history or the economy, and that leaders are those who ride the tide. The idea of the tide leads us to the role of situational factors in leadership. For example, Perrow (1970) suggests that leadership effectiveness is dependent upon structural aspects of the organization. Longitudinal studies of organizational effectiveness provide support for this idea. For example, Pfeffer (1997) indicated that “If one cannot observe differences when leaders change, then what does it matter who occupies the positions or how they behave?” (p. 108). Vroom and Jago (2007) have identified three distinct roles that situational factors play in leadership effectiveness. First, organizational effectiveness is not strictly a result of good leadership practices. Situational factors beyond the control of the leader often affect the outcomes of any group effort. Whereas leaders, be they navy admirals or football coaches, receive credit or blame for the activities of their followers, success or failure is often the result of external forces: the actions of others, changing technologies, or environmental conditions. Second, situations shape how leaders act. Although much of the literature on leadership has focused on individual differences, social psychologists such as Phil Zimbardo, in his classic Stanford Prison Experiment, and Stanley Milgram, in his studies of obedience, have demonstrated how important the situation is in determining behavior. Third, situations influence the consequences of leader behavior. Although many popular books on leadership provide a checklist of activities in which the leader should engage, most of these lists disregard the impact of the situation. Vroom and Jago (2007) suggest that the importance of the situation is based on three factors: the limited power of many leaders, the fact that applicants for leadership positions go through a uniform screening process that reduces the extent to which they differ from one another, and whatever differences between them still exist will be overwhelmed by situational demands. If all of these factors are present, it is probably true that the individual differences between leaders will not significantly contribute to their effectiveness. Nevertheless, in most of the situations in which leaders find themselves, they are not that powerless and their effectiveness is mostly a result of matching their skills with the demands of the situation, which brings us to a discussion of contingency theories.

Contingency Theories of Leadership

One of the first psychologists to develop a contingency approach to leadership effectiveness was Fred Fiedler (1964, 1967), who believed that a leader’s style is a result of lifelong experiences that are not easy to change. With this in mind, he suggested that leaders need to understand what their style is and to manipulate the situation so that the two match. Like previous researchers, Fiedler’s idea of leadership style included task orientation and person orientation, although his approach for determining a leader’s orientation was unique. Fiedler developed the least-preferred coworker (LPC) scale. On this scale, individuals rate the person with whom they would least want to work on a variety of characteristics. Individuals who rate their LPC as uniformly negative are considered task oriented, whereas those who differentiate among the characteristics are person oriented. The second part of his contingency theory is the favorableness of the situation. Situational favorability is determined by three factors: the extent to which the task facing the group is structured, the legitimate power of the leader, and the relations between the leader and his subordinates. The relation between LPC scores and group performance is complex, as can be seen in Table 68.3. A meta-analysis conducted by Strube and Garcia (1981) found that task-oriented leaders function best in situations that are either favorable (clear task structure, solid position power, and good leader/member relations) or unfavorable (unclear task structure, weak position power, and poor leader/member relations). In contrast, person-oriented leaders function best in situations that are only moderately favorable, which is often based on the quality of leader-member relations.

Another theory that addresses the relation between leadership style and the situation is path-goal theory (House, 1971). In this theory, path refers to the leader’s behaviors that are most likely to help the group attain a desired outcome or goal. Thus, leaders must exhibit different behaviors to reach different goals, depending on the situation. Four different styles of behavior are described:

  • Directive leadership. The leader sets standards of performance and provides guidelines and expectations to subordinates on how to achieve those standards.
  • Supportive leadership. The leader expresses concern for the subordinates’ well-being and is supportive of them as individuals, not just as workers.
  • Participative leadership. The leader solicits ideas and suggestions from subordinates and invites them to participate in decisions that directly affect them.
  • Achievement-oriented leadership. The leader sets challenging goals and encourages subordinates to attain those goals.

According to path-goal theory, effective leaders need all four of these styles because each one produces different results. Which style to use depends on two types of situational factors: subordinate characteristics, including ability, locus of control, and authoritarianism; and environmental characteristics, including the nature of the task, work group, and authority system. According to House and Mitchell (1974), when style and situation are properly matched, there is greater job satisfaction and acceptance of the leader, as well as more effort toward obtaining desired goals. A meta-analysis by Indvik (1986) is generally supportive of the theory. Studies of seven organizations found that task-oriented approaches are effective in situations with low task structure, because they help subordinates cope with an ambiguous situation, and ineffective in situations with high task structure, because they appear to be micromanagement. Additional studies have found that supportive leadership is most effective when subordinates are working on stressful, frustrating, or dissatisfying tasks. Researchers found participative leadership to be most effective when subordinates were engaged in nonrepetitive, ego-involving tasks. Finally, achievement-oriented leadership was most effective when subordinates were engaged in ambiguous, nonrepetitive tasks. A clear implication of the theory is that leaders must diagnose the situation before adopting a particular leadership style.

A third contingency approach is the normative and descriptive model of leadership and decision making developed by Vroom and his colleagues (see Vroom & Jago, 2007). This approach examines the extent to which leaders should involve their subordinates in decision-making processes. To answer this question, the researchers developed a matrix that outlines the five decision processes that range from highly autocratic through consultative to highly participative (see Table 68.4). Which of these approaches is the best? The answer is none of them is uniformly preferred, and each process has different costs and benefits. For example, participative approaches are more likely to gain support and acceptance among subordinates for the leader’s ideas, whereas autocratic approaches are quick and efficient, but may cause resentment. The theory suggests that the best approach may be selected by answering several basic questions about the situation that relate to the quality and acceptance of a decision. Some examples of the type of questions that should be asked are “Do I have enough information to make a decision? How structured is the task? Must subordinates accept the decision to make it work?” By answering such questions and applying the specific rules shown in Table 68.5, a leader is able to eliminate approaches that are likely to fail and to choose the approach that seems most feasible from those remaining.

Leader-Member Exchange Theory

A growing number of researchers have found that subordinates may affect leaders as much as leaders affect subordinates. Yukl (1998) pointed out that when subordinates perform poorly, leaders tend to be more task oriented, but when subordinates perform well, leaders are more person oriented. Similarly, Miller, Butler, and Cosentino (2004) found that the effectiveness of followers conformed to the same rules as those Fiedler applied to leaders. It may be that the productivity of a group can have a greater impact on leadership style than leadership style does on the productivity of the group. This reciprocal relation has been formally recognized in the vertical dyad linkage approach (Dansereau, Graen, & Haga, 1975), now commonly referred to as leader-member exchange (LMX) theory (Graen & Uhl-Bien, 1995). This theory describes how leaders maintain their influence by treating individual followers differently. Over time, leaders develop a special relationship with an inner circle of trusted lieutenants, assistants and advisors—the in-group. The members of the in-group are given high levels of responsibility, influence over decision making, and access to resources. Members of the in-group typically are those who are highly committed to the organization, work harder, show loyalty to the leader, and share more administrative duties. Their reward is greater access to the leader’s resources, including information, concern, and confidence. To maintain the exchange, leaders must be careful to nurture the relationship with the in-group, giving them sufficient power to satisfy their needs but not so much power that they become independent. The leader-member relationship generally follows three stages. The first stage is role taking. During this stage the leader assesses the members’ abilities and talents and offers them opportunities to demonstrate their capabilities and commitment. In this stage, both the leader and member discover how the other wants to be respected. The second stage is role making. In this stage, the leader and member take part in unstructured and informal negotiations in order to create a role for the member with a tacit promise of benefits and power in return for dedication and loyalty. In this stage, trust building is very important, and betrayal in any form can result in the member’s being relegated to the out-group. In this stage the leader and member explore relationship factors as well as work-related factors. At this stage, it is clear that perceived similarities between the leader and follower become important. For this reason, a leader may favor a member who is similar in sex, race, or outlook with assignment to the in-group, although research by Murphy and Ensher (1999) indicated that the perception of similarity is more important than actual demographic similarities. The final stage is routinization. In this phase the pattern established by the leader and member becomes established.

The quality of the leader-member relationship is dependent on several factors. It tends to be better when the challenge of the job is either extremely high or extremely low. Other factors that affect the quality of the relationship are the size of the group, availability of resources, and overall workload.

Charismatic and Transformational Leadership

In a speech given at the University of Maryland, Warren Bennis said, “[A] leader has to be able to change an organization that is dreamless, soulless and visionless…someone’s got to make a wake-up call. The first job of a leader is to define a vision for the organization.…Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality.” Effective leaders are able to project a vision, explaining to their subordinates the purpose, meaning, and significance of their efforts. As Napoleon once said, “Leaders are dealers in hope.” Although the idea of charismatic leadership goes back as far as biblical times (“Where there is no vision, the people perish”—Proverbs 29:18), its modern development can be attributed to the work of Robert House. House (1977) analyzed political and religious leaders and noted that charismatic leaders are those high in self-confidence and confidence in their subordinates, with high expectations, a clear vision of what can be accomplished, and a willingness to use personal examples. Their followers often identify with the leader and his or her mission, show unswerving loyalty toward and confidence in the leader, and derive a sense of self-esteem from their association with the leader. Charismatic leaders are usually quite articulate, with superior debating and persuasive skills. They also possess the technical expertise to understand what their followers must do. Charismatic leaders usually have high self-confidence, impression-management skills, social sensitivity, and empathy. Finally, they have the skills to promote attitudinal, behavioral, and emotional change in their followers. Those who follow charismatic leaders are often surprised at how much they are able to accomplish that extends beyond their own expectations. Research on charismatic leadership indicates that the impact of such leaders is greatest when the followers engage in high self-monitoring (observing their effect on others) and exhibit high levels of self-awareness. Charismatic leadership enhances followers’ cooperation and motivation.

It is important to recognize that charismatic leadership can have a dark side. We began this research paper with the example of Jim Jones, the charismatic religious leader who led his people to commit mass suicide. Howell and Avolio (1992) describe the difference between ethical and unethical charismatic leaders. According to their analysis, ethical leaders use their power to serve others, not for personal gain. They also promote a vision that aligns with their follower’s needs and aspirations rather than with their own personal vision. Ethical leaders stimulate followers to think independently and to question the leader’s views. They engage in open, two-way communication and are sensitive to their followers’ needs. Finally, ethical leaders rely on internal moral standards to satisfy organizational and societal interests, not their own self-interests.

In helping followers achieve their aspirations, Bernard Bass (1997) has noted that charismatic leadership is a component of a broader-based concept, that of transformational leadership. Bass believed that most leaders are transactional rather than transformational in that they approach their relationships with followers as a transaction, one in which they define expectations and offer rewards that will be forthcoming when those expectations are met. Transactional leaders use a contingent reward system, manage by exception, watch followers to catch them doing something wrong, and intervene only when standards are not met. Finally, transactional leaders tend to adopt a laissez-faire approach by avoiding the need to make hard decisions.

In contrast, transformational leadership goes beyond mutually satisfactory agreements about rewards and punishments to heighten followers’ motivation, confidence, and satisfaction by uniting them in the pursuit of shared, challenging goals. In the process of doing that, they change their followers’ beliefs, values, and needs. Bass and Avolio (1994) identified four components of transformational leadership. The first component is idealized influence (charisma). Leaders provide vision, a sense of mission, and their trust in their followers. Leaders take stands on difficult issues and urge their followers to follow suit. They emphasize the importance of purpose, commitment, and ethical decision making. The second component is inspirational motivation. Leaders communicate high expectations, express important purposes in easy-to-understand ways, talk optimistically and enthusiastically about the tasks facing the organization, and provide encouragement and meaning for what has to be done. They often use symbols to focus the efforts of their followers. The third component is intellectual stimulation. Leaders promote thoughtful, rational, and careful decision making. They stimulate others to discard outmoded assumptions and beliefs and to explore new perspectives and ways of doing things. The fourth component is individualized consideration. Leaders give their followers personal attention and treat each person individually. They listen attentively and consider the individual needs, abilities, and goals of their followers in their decisions. In order to enhance the development of their followers they advise, teach, and coach, as needed. Yukl (2002) offers the following guidelines for transformational leadership:

  • Develop a clear and appealing vision.
  • Create a strategy for attaining the vision.
  • Articulate and promote the vision.
  • Act confident and optimistic.
  • Express confidence in followers.
  • Use early success in achievable tasks to build confidence.
  • Celebrate your followers’ successes.
  • Use dramatic, symbolic actions to emphasize key values.
  • Model the behaviors you want followers to adopt.
  • Create or modify cultural forms as symbols, slogans, or ceremonies.

Perhaps Walter Lippman provided the best summary of transformational leadership. He wrote, “The final test of a leader is that he leaves behind him in other men the conviction and the will to carry on…” The genius of good leaders is to leave behind them a situation that common sense, without the grace of genius, can deal with successfully.

Leader Emergence and Transition

Who becomes the leader? The process by which someone becomes formally or informally, perceptually or behaviorally, and implicitly or explicitly recognized as a leader is leadership emergence. Scholars have debated this question for centuries and in this research paper, so far, we have offered several possible answers. The Great Person Theory suggests that some people are marked for greatness and dominate the times in which they live. Tolstoy’s zeitgeist theory suggests that leaders come to prominence because of the spirit of the times. Trait theories suggest leaders are selected based on their personal characteristics, whereas interactional approaches examine the joint effects of the situation and the leader’s behavior. Research suggests that leadership emergence is an orderly process that reflects a rational group process whereby the individual with the most skill or experience or intelligence or capabilities takes charge. Implicit leadership theories (Lord & Maher, 1991) provide a cognitive explanation for leadership emergence. According to these theories, each member of a group comes to the group with a set of expectations and beliefs about leaders and leadership. These cognitive structures are called implicit leadership theories or leader prototypes. Typically these prototypes include both task and relationship skills as well as an expectation that the leader will epitomize the core values of the group. Members use their implicit theories to sort people into either leaders or followers based on the extent to which others conform to their implicit theory of what a leader should be. These implicit theories also guide members in their evaluations of the leader’s effectiveness. Because these theories are implicit, they are rarely subjected to critical scrutiny. As a result, it is not uncommon for followers to demonstrate a bias toward those who fit the mold of a traditional leader: White, male, tall, and vocal, regardless of the qualifications of that individual to be the leader.

Transition, rotation, succession, change of command; all are words used to describe a central facet of organizational leadership—that leaders follow one another. Despite the frequent occurrence of leader successions in nearly all groups, especially in large stable organizations, relatively little research has addressed this phenomenon. An early review by Gibb (1969) reported on studies of leader emergence and succession mode. In particular, Gibb noted the importance of establishing leadership/followership through early, shared, significant experiences; he also stressed that an important aspect of the organizational climate for the new leader derives from the policies of the former leader, the consequence of which shape followers’ expectations, morale, and interpersonal relations. In general, studies have demonstrated that leadership succession causes turbulence and instability resulting in performance decrements in most organizations and thus constitutes a major challenge to organizations. Thus, the process of becoming the new leader is often an arduous, albeit rewarding, journey of learning and self-development. The trials involved in this rite of passage have serious consequences for both the individual and the organization. As organizations have become leaner and more dynamic, new leaders have described a transition that gets more difficult all the time. To make the transition less difficult, leaders might attend to the following suggestions adapted from the works of Betty Price, a management consultant. Some of these suggestions are particularly important for newly appointed leaders in establishing an effective leadership style early in their tenure as leader.

  • New leaders should show passion for their group, its purpose, and its people in order to reassure followers that the new leader is there to make the group better, not to further his or her personal ambitions.
  • New leaders should think more strategically than tactically. Look for the big picture and don’t become bogged down in implementation processes.
  • New leaders should first learn to listen, and then provide leadership. Leaders should be compelling in their ability to help others embrace the values that drive the group’s success. To do this the new leader must listen intently and provide feedback that demonstrates that he or she has truly heard what others have said.
  • New leaders should operate in a learning mode. As the new person on the block, the new leader may be unsure about the reputation of the preceding leader. He or she should honor the insights and knowledge of others, believing that one can learn from everyone. The new leader should engage people purposefully at all levels, knowing that the distance between the front line and senior leadership is often so great that one small piece of information may have tremendous impact.
  • New leaders should take particular care in doing what’s right and telling the truth, even if it is painful. One of the first tasks of a new leader is building trust. In the face of uncertainties, being honest, direct, and truthful enables people to move forward with faith. It gives them hope.
  • New leaders should encourage their people to take risks in order to achieve their goals, and be prepared to pick up the pieces if they fail. The leader’s role is to cushion the risk by providing support and encouragement, and knowing and drawing from his or her people’s best capabilities.

Leadership Development

Not everyone is born with “the right stuff” or finds himself or herself in just the right situation to demonstrate his or her capacity as a leader. However, anyone can improve his or her leadership skills. The process of training people to function effectively in a leadership role is known as leadership development and it is a multimillion-dollar business. Leadership development programs tend to be of two types: internal programs within an organization, designed to strengthen the organization, and external programs that take the form of seminars, workshops, conferences, and retreats.

Typical of external leadership development programs are the seminars offered by the American Management Association. Their training seminars are held annually in cities across the country and address both general leadership skills as well as strategic leadership. Among the seminars offered in the area of general leadership are critical thinking, storytelling, and team development in a variety of areas such as instructional technology or government. Seminars on strategic leadership address such topics as communication strategies, situational leadership, innovation, emotional intelligence, and coaching.

A second approach to leadership development is a technique known as grid training. The first step in grid training is a grid seminar during which members of an organization’s management team help others in their organization identify their management style as one of four management styles: impoverished management, task management, country-club management, and team management. The second step is training, which varies depending on the leader’s management style. The goal of the training is greater productivity, better decision making, increased morale, and focused culture change in the leader’s unique organizational environment. Grid training is directed toward six key areas: leadership development, team building, conflict resolution, customer service, mergers, and selling solutions.

Internal leadership development programs tend to focus on three major areas: the development of social interaction networks both between people within a given organization and between organizations that work with one another, the development of trusting relationships between leaders and followers, and the development of common values and a shared vision among leaders and followers. There are several techniques that promote these goals. One such technique is 360-degree feedback. This is a process whereby leaders may learn what peers, subordinates, and superiors think of their performance. This kind of feedback can be useful in identifying areas in need of improvement. The strength of the technique is that it provides differing perspectives across a variety of situations that help the leader to understand the perceptions of his or her actions. This practice has become very popular and is currently used by virtually all Fortune 500 companies. Like all forms of assessment, 360-degree feedback is only useful if the leader is willing and able to change his or her behavior as a result of the feedback. To ensure that leaders don’t summarily dismiss feedback that doesn’t suit them, many companies have arranged for face-to-face meetings between the leaders and those who have provided the feedback.

Another form of internal leadership development is networking. As a leadership development tool, networking is designed to reduce the isolation of leaders and help them better understand the organization in which they work. Networking is specifically designed to connect leaders with key personnel who can help them accomplish their everyday tasks. Networking promotes peer relationships and allows individuals with similar concerns and responsibilities to learn from one another ways to better do their job. Research indicates that these peer relationships tend to be long-lasting.

Executive coaching is a method for developing leaders that involves custom-tailored, one-on-one interactions. This method generally follows four steps. It begins with an agreement between the coach and the leader as to the nature of the coaching relationship, to include what is to be done and how it will be done. The second step is an expert’s assessment of the leader’s strengths and weaknesses. The third step provides a comprehensive plan for improvement that is usually shared with the leader’s immediate supervisor. The fourth and final step is the implementation of the plan. Coaching is sometimes a onetime event aimed at addressing a particular concern or it can be an ongoing, continuous process.

Another form of internal leadership development is mentoring. The term mentor can mean many things: a trusted counselor or guide, tutor, coach, master, experienced colleague, or role model. A mentor is usually someone older and more experienced who provides advice and support to a younger, less experienced person (protégé). In general, mentors guide, watch over, and encourage the progress of their protégés. Mentors often pave the way for their protégé’s success by providing opportunities for achievement, nominating them for promotion, and arranging for their recognition. As a form of leadership development, there are several advantages to mentoring. A meta-analysis by Allen, Eby, Poteet, Lima, and Lentz (2004) indicated that individuals who were mentored showed greater organizational commitment, lower turnover, higher career satisfaction, enhanced leadership skills, and a better understanding of their organization.

In the future, leadership is likely to become more group centered as organizations become more decentralized. Other changes will come about as a result of new and emerging technologies. Avolio and his colleagues (2003) refer to this as “e-leadership.” Leadership effectiveness will depend on the leader’s ability to integrate the new technologies into the norms and culture of their organization.

Another change is that the future will most likely see more women break through the “glass ceiling” and take leadership positions. Men are considerably more likely to enact leadership behaviors than are women in studies of leaderless groups, and as a result are more likely to emerge as leaders (Eagly, 1987). Even though women do sometimes emerge as leaders, historically they have been excluded from the highest levels of leadership in both politics and business. This exclusion has been called the glass ceiling. Studies of leadership in organizational settings have found that men and women do not differ significantly in their basic approach to leadership, with equal numbers of task- versus person-oriented leaders. However, women are much more likely to adopt a participative or transformational leadership style whereas men are more likely to be autocratic, laissez-faire, or transactional (Eagly & Johnson, 1990). Women’s leadership styles are more closely associated with group performance as well as subordinate satisfaction, and in time our implicit theories about leadership may very well favor those who adopt such approaches.

Diversity and working in a global economy will provide additional challenges to tomorrow’s leaders. Project GLOBE (Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness) is an extensive international project involving 170 researchers who have gathered data from 18,000 managers in 62 countries (House, Hanges, Javidan, Dorman, & Gupta, 2004). A major goal of the project was to develop societal and organizational measures of culture and leader attributes that were appropriate to use across all cultures. There have been several important findings. In some cultures, leadership is denigrated and regarded with suspicion. People in these cultures often fear that leaders will acquire and abuse power and as a result substantial restraints are placed on the exercise of leadership. Twenty-two leadership traits (e.g., foresight and decisiveness) were identified as being desirable across all cultures. Eight leadership traits (e.g., ruthlessness and irritability) were identified as being universally undesirable. Some leadership traits were dependent upon the culture, including ambition and elitism. Six leadership styles common to many cultures were identified. They are charismatic, self-protective, humane, team oriented, participative, and autonomous. Although the charismatic style is familiar to us, some of the others are not. The self-protective style involves following agreed-upon procedures, being cognizant of the status hierarchy, and saving face. The humane style includes modesty and helping others. The team-oriented style includes collaboration, team building, and diplomacy. The participative style encourages getting the opinions and help of others. The autonomous style involves being independent and making one’s own decisions. Cultures differ in their preferences for these styles. For example, leaders from northern European countries are more participative and less self-protective whereas leaders from southern Asia are more humane and less participative.

Although most of us would agree that leadership is extraordinarily important, research in this field has yet to arrive at a generally accepted definition of what leadership is, create a widely accepted paradigm for studying leadership, or find the best strategies for developing and practicing leadership. Hackman and Wageman (2007) attempted to address this problem by reframing the questions we have been asking about leadership effectiveness, with the hope that these questions will be more informative than many of those asked previously.

  • Question 1. Ask NOT “Do leaders make a difference?” but “Under what conditions does leadership matter?” The task here is to examine conceptually and empirically the circumstances under which leadership makes a difference and to distinguish those from the circumstances for which leadership is inconsequential.
  • Question 2. Ask NOT “What are the traits that define an effective leader?” but “How do leaders’ personal attributes interact with situational properties to shape outcomes?” This approach will require that we reduce our reliance on both fixed traits and complex contingencies. To do this, we should embrace the idea that there are many different ways to achieve the same outcome.
  • Question 3. Ask NOT “Are there common dimensions on which all leaders can be arrayed?” but “Are good and poor leadership qualitatively different phenomena?” Recent research has found that ineffective leaders were not ones who scored low on those dimensions for which good leaders scored high, but rather they exhibited entirely different patterns of behavior than those exhibited by good leaders.
  • Question 4. Ask NOT “How do leaders and followers differ from one another?” but “How can leadership models be reframed so they treat all members of a group as leaders and followers?” Although it is clear that to be a leader requires that you have followers, it is equally true that most leaders are at times followers and most followers are at times leaders.
  • Question 5. Ask NOT “What should be taught in leadership courses?” but “How can leaders be helped to learn?” Research is needed to understand how leaders learn from their experiences, especially when they are coping with crises (see Avolio, 2007).

In the 21st century, the study of leadership will be increasingly collaborative as researchers from multiple disciplines tackle the questions outlined above. Some of the disciplines that must contribute to the study of leadership include media and communications. In today’s world more and more of the relationships between leaders and followers are not face-to-face but mediated through electronic means.

John Kenneth Galbraith, in his book The Age of Uncertainty, wrote that “All of the great leaders have had one characteristic in common: it was the willingness to confront unequivocally the major anxiety of their people in their time. This, and not much else, is the essence of leadership.” In the special issue of the American Psychologist devoted to leadership, Warren Bennis (2007) suggests that the four most important threats facing our world today are these: (a) a nuclear or biological catastrophe; (b) a worldwide pandemic; (c) tribalism and its cruel offspring, assimilation; and (d) leadership of our human institutions. He points out that solving the first three problems will not be possible without exemplary leadership and that an understanding of how to develop such leadership will have serious consequences for the quality of our health and our lives.

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Leadership Research Topics

Research Area/ Research Interest: Leadership

Research Paper Topics for:  Masters and PhD Thesis and publication

  • A systematic and critical review of leadership styles in contemporary hospitality: a roadmap and a call for future research
  • Leadership, green innovation, and green creativity: A systematic review
  • Global leadership effectiveness: A multilevel review and exploration of the construct domain
  •  Presidential leadership: Politics and policy making
  • Gerelateerde zoekopdrachten
  • Evaluating the impact of a youth-led sexual violence prevention program: Youth leadership retreat outcomes
  •  Support, develop, empower: The co-development of a youth leadership framework
  •  A meta-analysis of leadership and workplace safety: Examining relative importance, contextual contingencies, and methodological moderators.
  • Leadership Strategies In Overcoming Educational Problems
  • Mastering digital transformation: The nexus between leadership, agility, and digital strategy
  • The Influence of Transformational Leadership and work Discipline on the Work Performance of Education Service Employees
  • The appropriate leadership styles in times of crisis: a study of women in senior leadership positions in corporate South Africa
  • Elementary School Teachers Performance: How The Role of Transformational Leadership, Competency, and Self-Efficacy?
  • An Inclusive Leadership Framework to Foster Employee Creativity in the Healthcare Sector: The Role of Psychological Safety and Polychronicity
  • Reconciling identity leadership and leader identity: A dual-identity framework
  •  Leadership and business model innovation in late internationalizing SMEs
  • Impacts of leadership on corporate social responsibility management in multi-tier supply chains
  • Hiring women into senior leadership positions is associated with a reduction in gender stereotypes in organizational language
  •  Indonesia’s foreign policy under Suharto: Aspiring to international leadership
  • Leadership during crisis: an examination of supervisory leadership behavior and gender during COVID-19
  • Accelerating innovation efficiency through agile leadership: The CEO network effects in China
  • Can leadership training improve organizational effectiveness? Evidence from a randomized field experiment on transformational and transactional leadership
  •  Change the Way You Lead Change: Leadership Strategies that REALLY Work
  • Meaningful leadership: how can Leaders contribute to meaningful Work?
  •  Relevant HRH leadership during public health emergencies
  • Reviving employees’ essence of hospitality through spiritual wellbeing, spiritual leadership, and emotional intelligence
  • Leadership for a Digital World
  • Building Academic Leadership Capacity Through Coaching
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Why Leadership Teams Fail

  • Thomas Keil
  • Marianna Zangrillo

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In pursuit of strong performance, CEOs often overlook a critical factor in organizational success: the health of their leadership team. That’s a big problem, because a dysfunctional team can be a serious drag on strategy execution.

To learn more about the problems that affect leadership teams, the authors interviewed more than 100 CEOs and senior executives in a multiyear research program. They identified three main patterns of dysfunction: the shark tank, characterized by infighting and political maneuvering; the petting zoo, characterized by conflict avoidance and an overemphasis on collaboration; and the mediocracy, characterized by complacency, a lack of competence, and an unhealthy focus on past success.

This article helps leadership teams diagnose their dynamic and find ways to improve it.

And what to do about it

In their pursuit of strong performance, CEOs and executives often overlook a critical factor in organizational success: the health of their leadership team. That’s a big problem, because a dysfunctional team can become a serious drag on strategy execution and erode morale. Not only that, the health of a senior team can make or break a CEO’s tenure.

It’s not just who’s in the room—it’s how they behave together.

  • Thomas Keil is a professor and the chair in international management at the University of Zurich, Switzerland. He is a partner at the Next Advisors.
  • Marianna Zangrillo is a partner at the Next Advisors.

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Doctorate of Business Administration: 10 Tips for DBA Research

  • August 21, 2024

Doctorate of Business Administration 10 Tips for DBA Research

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Academic research is at a crossroads between tradition and innovation. The landscape is rapidly transforming, as technological advances shift educational structures and bring up tough questions on ethical integrity. For sure, it’s an exciting time to study a Doctorate of Business Administration and to do DBA Research.

This blog post delves into 10 tips to navigate the research portion of your DBA, offering insights into the evolving nature of research and its implications for scholars and practitioners alike.

Be Smart When Embracing Technology

In the academic universe, change is not just a constant; it’s a necessity . We’re on a journey where the old intersects with the new, where the traditional academic rigor meets the swift currents of technological innovation.

There’s been a significant leap forward in the tools available to researchers. Software like Mandalay represent a leap forward in DBA research efficiency, automating citation management and data organization. These advancements save researchers valuable time, allowing them to focus more on analysis and less on administrative tasks.

Learn to Balance Tech With Tradition

There’s a sort of struggle for balance between technology and fundamentals. Remember that while it streamlines DBA research, technology cannot replace the foundational understanding of research principles . 

A profound grasp of methodology and critical thinking remains essential. It ensures that scholars can effectively leverage new tools without compromising the integrity of their work.

Originality Triumphs Everything in DBA Research

There it is, the elephant in the room: plagiarism. With AI tools in hand, the line into plagiarism is blurrier than ever. That’s why it’s crucial for researchers to use technology responsibly , ensuring that their work maintains originality and credibility.

Technology should enhance, not replace, the foundational bedrock of scholarly inquiry. Aim for originality.

Develop Presentation Skills

Parallel to technological advancements, the art of presenting and communicating DBA research has gained significance. In today’s digital age, scholars must not only produce original research but also possess the skills to present it effectively. 

Scholars must bring fresh perspectives and critical analysis to their work. They need a deep engagement with their subject matter.

What’s more, they need dynamic presentation skills . Effective communication is key in presenting research. Scholars should strive to create engaging and clear presentations, showcasing their findings with confidence and clarity.

A well-structured presentation highlights the importance and implications of research findings. Clear communication helps to convey complex ideas effectively, making the research accessible and impactful.

As Structures Change, Learn To Adapt

Doctoral research programs are evolving to be more accommodating to working professionals, offering structured pathways that expedite the journey to a doctoral degree without sacrificing academic rigor.

For example, the shift towards Doctoral Research Projects (DRPs) indicates a broader trend in education towards more flexible and accessible learning models, tailored to the needs of today’s scholars and professionals.

Therefore, the future of DBA research education lies in its ability to be adaptable, accessible, and aligned with the evolving demands of the academic and professional world.

Exercise Your Critical Thinking Skills

Critical thinking is at its most important. When you dive into literature review, make it meaningful. It lays the groundwork for meaningful research, providing the context and framework necessary for insightful analysis and discovery.

Critical thinking and analytical skills are the backbone of DBA research , enabling scholars to evaluate findings accurately and contribute valuable insights to their field.

Value Face-to-Face Interactions for your DBA Research

Direct interactions, such as oral presentations and defenses, are crucial for assessing the authenticity and depth of DBA research They underscore the importance of personal engagement in the digital age.

Remember – no matter how much technology can help you assemble an articulate paragraph, it can’t do anything for you during an oral presentation. 

Foster Collaborative Relationships

A collaborative relationship between students and advisors is fundamental to research success, as it fosters an environment of support, guidance, and mutual respect.

Reach out to those around you. Work together, request feedback, and learn from each other. There’s a lot of room to grow, and the people around you are the best source of growth .

Uphold Ethical Standards of DBA Research

Maintaining academic rigor and ethical standards is paramount. It ensures that the integrity of scholarly work remains untarnished.

Adhere to ethical DBA research practices , including thorough and accurate citations. The credibility and reliability of academic work have high standards, and you should strive to meet them.

Look Forward to Innovation

The future of DBA research is a blend of tradition and innovation , where integrating new technologies and methodologies enhances the depth and reach of scholarly inquiry. By embracing these changes while steadfastly upholding the principles of rigorous and ethical research, the academic community can confidently navigate this evolving landscape and contribute meaningful advancements to the world of knowledge.

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Study reveals the benefits and downside of fasting

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Low-calorie diets and intermittent fasting have been shown to have numerous health benefits: They can delay the onset of some age-related diseases and lengthen lifespan, not only in humans but many other organisms.

Many complex mechanisms underlie this phenomenon. Previous work from MIT has shown that one way fasting exerts its beneficial effects is by boosting the regenerative abilities of intestinal stem cells, which helps the intestine recover from injuries or inflammation.

In a study of mice, MIT researchers have now identified the pathway that enables this enhanced regeneration, which is activated once the mice begin “refeeding” after the fast. They also found a downside to this regeneration: When cancerous mutations occurred during the regenerative period, the mice were more likely to develop early-stage intestinal tumors.

“Having more stem cell activity is good for regeneration, but too much of a good thing over time can have less favorable consequences,” says Omer Yilmaz, an MIT associate professor of biology, a member of MIT’s Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, and the senior author of the new study.

Yilmaz adds that further studies are needed before forming any conclusion as to whether fasting has a similar effect in humans.

“We still have a lot to learn, but it is interesting that being in either the state of fasting or refeeding when exposure to mutagen occurs can have a profound impact on the likelihood of developing a cancer in these well-defined mouse models,” he says.

MIT postdocs Shinya Imada and Saleh Khawaled are the lead authors of the paper, which appears today in Nature .

Driving regeneration

For several years, Yilmaz’s lab has been investigating how fasting and low-calorie diets affect intestinal health. In a 2018 study , his team reported that during a fast, intestinal stem cells begin to use lipids as an energy source, instead of carbohydrates. They also showed that fasting led to a significant boost in stem cells’ regenerative ability.

However, unanswered questions remained: How does fasting trigger this boost in regenerative ability, and when does the regeneration begin?

“Since that paper, we’ve really been focused on understanding what is it about fasting that drives regeneration,” Yilmaz says. “Is it fasting itself that’s driving regeneration, or eating after the fast?”

In their new study, the researchers found that stem cell regeneration is suppressed during fasting but then surges during the refeeding period. The researchers followed three groups of mice — one that fasted for 24 hours, another one that fasted for 24 hours and then was allowed to eat whatever they wanted during a 24-hour refeeding period, and a control group that ate whatever they wanted throughout the experiment.

The researchers analyzed intestinal stem cells’ ability to proliferate at different time points and found that the stem cells showed the highest levels of proliferation at the end of the 24-hour refeeding period. These cells were also more proliferative than intestinal stem cells from mice that had not fasted at all.

“We think that fasting and refeeding represent two distinct states,” Imada says. “In the fasted state, the ability of cells to use lipids and fatty acids as an energy source enables them to survive when nutrients are low. And then it’s the postfast refeeding state that really drives the regeneration. When nutrients become available, these stem cells and progenitor cells activate programs that enable them to build cellular mass and repopulate the intestinal lining.”

Further studies revealed that these cells activate a cellular signaling pathway known as mTOR, which is involved in cell growth and metabolism. One of mTOR’s roles is to regulate the translation of messenger RNA into protein, so when it’s activated, cells produce more protein. This protein synthesis is essential for stem cells to proliferate.

The researchers showed that mTOR activation in these stem cells also led to production of large quantities of polyamines — small molecules that help cells to grow and divide.

“In the refed state, you’ve got more proliferation, and you need to build cellular mass. That requires more protein, to build new cells, and those stem cells go on to build more differentiated cells or specialized intestinal cell types that line the intestine,” Khawaled says.

Too much of a good thing

The researchers also found that when stem cells are in this highly regenerative state, they are more prone to become cancerous. Intestinal stem cells are among the most actively dividing cells in the body, as they help the lining of the intestine completely turn over every five to 10 days. Because they divide so frequently, these stem cells are the most common source of precancerous cells in the intestine.

In this study, the researchers discovered that if they turned on a cancer-causing gene in the mice during the refeeding stage, they were much more likely to develop precancerous polyps than if the gene was turned on during the fasting state. Cancer-linked mutations that occurred during the refeeding state were also much more likely to produce polyps than mutations that occurred in mice that did not undergo the cycle of fasting and refeeding.

“I want to emphasize that this was all done in mice, using very well-defined cancer mutations. In humans it’s going to be a much more complex state,” Yilmaz says. “But it does lead us to the following notion: Fasting is very healthy, but if you’re unlucky and you’re refeeding after a fasting, and you get exposed to a mutagen, like a charred steak or something, you might actually be increasing your chances of developing a lesion that can go on to give rise to cancer.”

Yilmaz also noted that the regenerative benefits of fasting could be significant for people who undergo radiation treatment, which can damage the intestinal lining, or other types of intestinal injury. His lab is now studying whether polyamine supplements could help to stimulate this kind of regeneration, without the need to fast.

“This fascinating study provides insights into the complex interplay between food consumption, stem cell biology, and cancer risk,” says Ophir Klein, a professor of medicine at the University of California at San Francisco and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, who was not involved in the study. “Their work lays a foundation for testing polyamines as compounds that may augment intestinal repair after injuries, and it suggests that careful consideration is needed when planning diet-based strategies for regeneration to avoid increasing cancer risk.”

The research was funded, in part, by a Pew-Stewart Trust Scholar award, the Marble Center for Cancer Nanomedicine, the Koch Institute-Dana Farber/Harvard Cancer Center Bridge Project, and the MIT Stem Cell Initiative.

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A new study led by researchers at MIT suggests that fasting and then refeeding stimulates cell regeneration in the intestines, reports Katharine Lang for Medical News Today . However, notes Lang, researchers also found that fasting “carries the risk of stimulating the formation of intestinal tumors.” 

Prof. Ömer Yilmaz and his colleagues have discovered the potential health benefits and consequences of fasting, reports Max Kozlov for Nature . “There is so much emphasis on fasting and how long to be fasting that we’ve kind of overlooked this whole other side of the equation: what is going on in the refed state,” says Yilmaz.

MIT researchers have discovered how fasting impacts the regenerative abilities of intestinal stem cells, reports Ed Cara for Gizmodo . “The major finding of our current study is that refeeding after fasting is a distinct state from fasting itself,” explain Prof. Ömer Yilmaz and postdocs Shinya Imada and Saleh Khawaled. “Post-fasting refeeding augments the ability of intestinal stem cells to, for example, repair the intestine after injury.” 

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Tory leadership contender Mel Stride ‘good on paper’ but his timing is off

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White Paper from Think Kids' CRHE project, "When All Are Counted"

In this white paper, the Think Kids team summarizes the findings of their recently completed CRHE project, "When All Are Counted," which examined how West Virginia compiles and reports health surveillance data.

The  Community Research for Health Equity (CRHE)  program seeks to elevate community voices and make the priorities of communities the primary goal of local health system transformation efforts. In 2022, ten grantees were awarded to address local health system issues of importance to communities of color, people with disabilities, LGBTQ+ individuals, and other historically marginalized populations.

Read this white paper to learn about the findings from Think Kids’ CRHE project , “When All Are Counted,” which assessed how the state of West Virginia compiles and reports health surveillance data to build a more inclusive surveillance system, with a focus on three specific populations: the Black, LGBTQ+, and disability populations. The team conducted surveys, interviews, and focus groups to study variables for minority populations, disaggregated race, disability categories, and how minority populations are aggregated. The team also examined how other states use small populations methodologies, and how data are reported and translated into policies and practices.

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Kilometer-Scale Convection Allowing Model Emulation using Generative Diffusion Modeling

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Storm-scale convection-allowing models (CAMs) are an important tool for predicting the evolution of thunderstorms and mesoscale convective systems that result in damaging extreme weather. By explicitly resolving convective dynamics within the atmosphere they afford meteorologists the nuance needed to provide outlook on hazard. Deep learning models have thus far not proven skilful at km-scale atmospheric simulation, despite being competitive at coarser resolution with state-of-the-art global, medium-range weather forecasting. We present a generative diffusion model called StormCast, which emulates the high-resolution rapid refresh (HRRR) model—NOAA’s state-of-the-art 3km operational CAM. StormCast autoregressively predicts 99 state variables at km scale using a 1-hour time step, with dense vertical resolution in the atmospheric boundary layer, conditioned on 26 synoptic variables. We present evidence of successfully learnt km-scale dynamics including competitive 1-6 hour forecast skill for composite radar reflectivity alongside physically realistic convective cluster evolution, moist updrafts, and cold pool morphology. StormCast predictions maintain realistic power spectra for multiple predicted variables across multi-hour forecasts. Together, these results establish the potential for autoregressive ML to emulate CAMs – opening up new km-scale frontiers for regional ML weather prediction and future climate hazard dynamical downscaling.

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