ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Psychol.
Sec. Organizational Psychology
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1492443
The Construction of Leadership Identity by Business Leaders: A Qualitative Study Sevinc Engin, Fevzi KASAP * Original Research, Front. Psychol. -Organizational Psychology Received on: 09 Sep 2024 Edited by: Svajone Bekesiene Contact Manuscript ID: 1492443
Provisionally accepted
- Near East University, Nicosia, Cyprus
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Background: Leadership is a multifaceted concept shaped by professional, cultural, and organizational contexts. This study examines how business leaders conceptualize leadership and its influence on the construction of leadership identities. By focusing on sector-specific perspectives, the research highlights the varying definitions and roles of leadership across different professional environments. Method: A qualitative approach was employed to analyze leadership narratives from 71 participants, including CEOs, entrepreneurs, media professionals, politicians, and bureaucrats. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, and content analysis was used to identify themes and patterns in how leaders perceive and define their roles. Results: The findings reveal sectoral variations in leadership conceptualizations. Business leaders and entrepreneurs emphasize innovation, success, and strategic thinking. Journalists and media professionals prioritize influence and communication, while bureaucrats and politicians focus on ethics, public service, and societal values. These distinct perspectives demonstrate how leadership identities are shaped by the normative pressures and expectations of different professional contexts. Conclusion: The study underscores the contextual nature of leadership perceptions and their role in shaping leadership identity. It provides valuable insights into how leadership is constructed and understood across sectors, contributing to leadership theory and practice. Future research should expand the scope to include a wider range of professional groups and conduct comparative analyses to deepen understanding of the factors influencing leadership development.
Keywords: leadership identity, professional roles, identity construction, leadership conceptualization, qualitative analysis, Business leaders
Received: 09 Sep 2024; Accepted: 27 Dec 2024.
Copyright: © 2024 Engin. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Sevinc Engin, Near East University, Nicosia, Cyprus
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