A Unified Model of Competence in Global Leader Behavior
[Thesis]
;supervisor: Hoehn, Lilburn
Walden University: United States -- Minnesota
: 2012
189 Pages
Ph.D.
Globalization has meant a new business approach and leadership paradigm requiring leadership competencies specific for transnational organizations. However, not all current theories on leadership address appropriate solutions regarding different situations that might arise for a global leader. The purpose of this study was to develop a global leadership model that identified specific attributes critical to being a successful global leader. The research questions for this study examined the competencies that global leaders perceived were important for their career success and for leading multinational companies. Using a purposive sample of 30 global leaders in multinational organizations, two types of analytical techniques were used in analyzing the data generated from the semi-structured interviews. Open and axial coding was used to generate the emerging themes that were further analyzed using analytic hierarchical process to construct a global leadership model by ranking decision alternatives. The study provided current (or new) learning curricula and best practices for multinational business development and global leadership. Less than 10% of global leaders considered coaching as a best practice. They defined best practices according to operational behavior related to interpersonal understanding, financial decision-making, and forward-looking business policies in the context of a globalizing economy. Positive social change implications of the study include helping global leaders to effectively relate to people with distinct personal values and approach to work than their own and bring them together toward a common purpose in an increasingly interconnected and interdependent world order.