Teacher’s Summary: This study, “Authentic Leadership in Action: A Case Study from the Dominican Republic,” explores the application of authentic leadership principles through the lens of a business leader in the Dominican Republic’s petroleum industry. Utilizing a qualitative case study approach with participant observation over a year, the research identifies key elements such as vision communication, power balance, decision-making styles, and cultural adaptability. The findings enhance the understanding of authentic leadership in diverse settings, highlighting its effectiveness and challenges in real-world business contexts.
Authentic Leadership in Action: A Case Study from the Dominican Republic
Abstract
This study explores the concept of authentic leadership through a case study of a business leader in the Dominican Republic. The research examines the characteristics and behaviors that define authentic leadership, focusing on how these traits manifest in a challenging business environment. Through participant observation and personal experience, the study identifies key elements of authentic leadership, including vision communication, power balance, decision-making styles, and adaptability to cultural contexts. The findings contribute to the understanding of authentic leadership in practice and its effectiveness in diverse cultural settings.
1. Introduction
Authentic leadership has gained significant attention in recent years as organizations seek leaders who can navigate complex challenges with integrity and transparency (George et al., 2007). This leadership style is characterized by self-awareness, balanced processing, relational transparency, and an internalized moral perspective (Walumbwa et al., 2008). However, there is a need for more empirical studies that examine how authentic leadership manifests in real-world contexts, particularly in diverse cultural settings.
This study aims to address this gap by presenting a case study of a business leader in the Dominican Republic who exemplifies authentic leadership. By analyzing the leader’s behaviors and strategies, we seek to contribute to the understanding of authentic leadership in practice and its effectiveness in challenging business environments.
2. Methods
2.1 Research Design
This study employed a qualitative case study approach, focusing on a single business leader in the Dominican Republic’s petroleum industry. The researcher engaged in participant observation over a one-year period, working directly under the leader’s supervision.
2.2 Data Collection
Data was collected through direct observation, personal interactions, and informal interviews with the leader, employees, and business associates. The researcher maintained detailed field notes throughout the observation period.
2.3 Data Analysis
The collected data was analyzed using thematic analysis, identifying key themes and patterns that aligned with authentic leadership theory. The analysis focused on leadership behaviors, communication styles, decision-making processes, and interpersonal relationships.
3. Results
The analysis revealed several key characteristics of authentic leadership demonstrated by the subject:
- Vision Communication: The leader consistently communicated a clear and compelling vision for the company, inspiring belief and commitment from employees and stakeholders.
- Power Balance: The leader effectively utilized multiple power bases, including legitimate, expert, coercive, referent, and reward power, adapting their use to different situations.
- Decision-Making Style: The leader primarily employed an autocratic decision-making style, evolving to include more input from trusted subordinates as the company grew.
- Relationship Management: The leader maintained a high task and high relationship orientation, emphasizing the importance of strong relationships with employees, customers, and suppliers.
- Adaptability: The leader demonstrated the ability to adapt leadership styles to the cultural context of the Dominican Republic while maintaining core authentic leadership principles.
- Integrity and Transparency: Despite financial challenges, the leader maintained a commitment to honesty and ethical behavior in business dealings.
4. Discussion
The findings of this study align with existing literature on authentic leadership while providing new insights into its application in a specific cultural context. The leader’s ability to balance multiple power bases and adapt decision-making styles supports Vecchio’s (2007) concept of power interplay in effective leadership.
The leader’s emphasis on vision communication and relationship management aligns with George et al.’s (2007) description of authentic leaders as those who inspire others through a clear sense of purpose. The observed adaptability to cultural context extends our understanding of how authentic leadership can be effectively implemented in diverse settings.
However, the study also raises questions about the potential tensions between authentic leadership and the need for strong, directive leadership in certain cultural contexts. The leader’s autocratic decision-making style, while effective in the given environment, may seem at odds with some conceptions of authentic leadership that emphasize shared decision-making.
5. Conclusion
This case study provides valuable insights into the practice of authentic leadership in a real-world business context. It demonstrates that authentic leadership can be effectively implemented in challenging environments and diverse cultural settings. The study highlights the importance of adaptability, vision communication, and balanced power use in authentic leadership.
Future research could explore how authentic leadership principles can be applied across different cultural contexts and industries. Additionally, longitudinal studies could examine the long-term effects of authentic leadership on organizational performance and employee well-being.
References
1. George, B., Sims, P., McLean, A.N., & Mayer, D. (2007). Discovering your authentic leadership. Harvard Business Review, 85(2), 129-138. Retrieved from Harvard Business Review
2. Vecchio, R.P. (2007). Leadership: Understanding the dynamics of power and influence in organizations. University of Notre Dame Press.
3. Walumbwa, F.O., Avolio, B.J., Gardner, W.L., Wernsing, T.S., & Peterson, S.J. (2008). Authentic leadership: Development and validation of a theory-based measure. Journal of Management, 34(1), 89-126. Retrieved from SAGE Journals