The implementation of attribution theory in leadership: a systematical literature review

Abstract

This study provides a survey of the literature on the application of attribution theory in leadership and organizational behavior. The study's goal is to investigate how attribution theory might be used to improve corporate leadership practices in Indonesia, specifically in avoiding harmful attributional biases.  This study reviews 22 articles published from 2013 to 2023 related to the topic of applying attribution theory in leadership. The results of the review show that leaders' communication style influences the leadership attributions that emerge in virtual teams. In addition, leadership support for work-life balance can reduce employees' counterproductive behaviors by mitigating work-family conflict. Additionally, big data-driven marketing attributions can enhance customer value attribution accuracy. Furthermore, leaders' commitment to public ideals has a favorable relationship with charismatic leadership attributions and, as a result, lower turnover rates. The research results highlight how attributions significantly influence employees' reactions to policies, leaders' styles, and organizational outcomes. Identifying key drivers of employees' attribution tendencies can empower leaders to cultivate more positive leadership results.