Cultivating Innovation through Female Leadership: The Malaysian Perspective

Abstract

Research indicates that innovation thrives within certain organizational cultures which are shaped by their leaders. However, existing typologies of leadership style do not adequately describe the female perspective. The objective of the study, therefore, is to examine how women entrepreneurs lead their employees and influence other stakeholders towards building an innovative organizational culture. Due to the intended depth of the analysis, a qualitative approach is considered more suitable. Based on the responses four distinct styles of female leadership are identified, which demonstrate that female leadership styles do not neatly fit into existing typologies commonly associated with modern leaders. The study concludes with recommendations for future studies, in particular to ascertain the relationships between culture, leadership style and organizational innovation. Keywords: