Advancing Chinese leadership research: review and future directions

Abstract

Chinese leadership has received growing research attention amid the rapid development of the Chinese economy, the rising influence of the Chinese government and companies in the global arena, and China’s business transformation and institutional reform. However, the extant literature has tended to adopt Western leadership theories and test them in the Chinese context. By reviewing Chinese leadership studies, this paper highlights the importance of context in shaping leadership attitudes, behaviors, activities, and their consequences. To further advance Chinese leadership research and its impact on management practice, we suggest that it is crucial to pay closer attention to the cultural micro-foundations underpinned by traditional Chinese philosophy. We offer six promising avenues for future research: (1) a nuanced and critical approach to the role of context, (2) the combination of Western and Chinese thoughts, (3) indigenous leadership theory development, (4) gender and leadership, (5) leadership and performance, and (6) leadership in crisis management.