The New Directions in Leadership Research: An Overview

Abstract

The present review attempts to assemble various dimensions of leadership especially, cognitive and social content under cultural and cross cultural paradigms. Apart from that, review attempted to capture and questions the universalistic notions of leadership phenomenon. Studies have been conducted on the issue of leadership in the Indian context following the western lineage but still the picture is hazy and limited to the superficiality of the dominant views. The depth of the leadership phenomenon has perhaps still not been clearly understood. Leadership phenomenon from time primordial was dealt under one meta-theoretical assumption i.e., great man theory which was individually based on Cartesian-Newtonian epistemology. New leadership approach doesn’t deny the cognitive factors and traits as is happening in present sociological research movements but it is operating within the broader social dimensions and power structure. The notions of leadership as constructed and operated under different cultural value system based on the social context is the thrust of present review. However, this construction of leadership should be analyzed not only from universalistic agency but also from sociocultural point of view. It is recommended that researchers must look into leadership from the standpoint of diversity and socio-historical origins. The neglected cultural, social, historical and political milieu in the action of individuals has its own varied complexity; and precaution is inevitable in the process of abandonment of universalism. Thus, leadership channelling its individualistic theoretical history of singularity and universality and redirect its status as driven by complexities in societal structure going beyond the ideology of ‘one-shot-finish’.

Keywords: Cognitive View, Culture, Leadership, Prototypical Abstraction, Value, Social Identity, Sociocultural Paradigm.

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