Leadership in context: An examination of contextual dimensions and leadership behaviour in Kuwaiti private sector

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the contextual dimensions that form leadership behaviour amongst Kuwait’s private sector leaders.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a constructionist approach within which 40 leaders from Kuwaiti private sector organisations were interviewed, in the banking, investment, real estate and services sectors, this paper focuses on two main areas of study: to critically examine the literature and identify the most contextual dimensions found to have significant influence on leadership behaviour and to verify first-hand how the identified dimensions are affecting leaders’ behaviour in the specified context.

Findings

The research finds that although the content of leadership may not change significantly, the context of leadership is important and is able to alter the quality and behaviour of leaders.

Originality/value

Empirically based knowledge about leadership in context is limited, as few studies to date have examined the importance of the contextual dimensions in explaining leadership behaviour.

Citation

Alazmi, T.N. (2016), "Leadership in context: An examination of contextual dimensions and leadership behaviour in Kuwaiti private sector", International Journal of Islamic and Middle Eastern Finance and Management, Vol. 9 No. 4, pp. 474-491. https://doi.org/10.1108/IMEFM-01-2015-0008