TY - JOUR AB - Purpose– This paper aims to focus on leadership in business schools. It seeks to advocate examining strategic leadership processes through the exploration of interactions between such multiple constituencies as the dean, faculty, university councils and advisory boards.Design/methodology/approach– A range of models of the leadership process are identified and illustrated, namely, the strategic leadership process model, a model of leadership dynamics and an interactionist model, involving an examination of leadership characteristics, context and leadership style.Findings– The current financial crisis and criticisms of the business school in the modern university require deans to address changing models and contingencies, globalisation and moral values in curriculum evaluation and leadership of the business school. The importance of further in‐depth case studies of strategic leadership is emphasised.Originality/value– Three areas of important research are identified, namely, the skills of leadership characteristics, leadership styles and change and leadership training. It is concluded that leadership can be taught but must be reinforced with on‐the‐job experience. VL - 30 IS - 5 SN - 0262-1711 DO - 10.1108/02621711111133037 UR - https://doi.org/10.1108/02621711111133037 AU - Thomas Howard AU - Thomas Lynne ED - T Howard ED - Eric Cornuel PY - 2011 Y1 - 2011/01/01 TI - Perspectives on leadership in business schools T2 - Journal of Management Development PB - Emerald Group Publishing Limited SP - 526 EP - 540 Y2 - 2024/04/17 ER -