Beyond the transformational leadership paradigm : a Foucaultian analysis of UK leadership literature development

The primary aim of this research is to re-interpret the development of business leadership within a political, economic and socio-historic framework in order to explore a
contemporary problem that has arisen with leadership. The problem, identified in Chapter Two is, 'that leadership training, development and education may not be delivering the leadership skills required for the 21st Century'. The primary research objectives were to:
• Develop a reflexive Foucaultian analysis of leadership development as a 'body of knowledge' in order to illustrate alternative leadership constructs.
• Operationalize the research strategy on a contemporary business leadership issue identified in a social, political and economic context.
• Open up a marginalised but inclusive space outside the dominant leadership discourse that would enable researchers, educationalists and practitioners to
consider alternative thoughts on leadership, to spark new thought and conversations.
The primary premise is to create a marginal space outside the dominant leadership discourse in order to reveal how political, economic and socio-historical influences affect
the development of leadership theory and literature. The thesis explores how these influences in turn conceal threads of leadership thought which, when revealed, contribute
to an alternative understanding of business leadership in the present day. This research, based on a Foucaultian research strategy informed by reflexive interpretation, initially
creates a History of the Present composed of a macro and micro perspective of leadership
literature.
The macro perspective constructs current leadership literature to demonstrate how the
socio-historical influences have developed transformational leadership theory into a
paradigm. The micro view is developed from a sample of UK leadership research between
2007 and 2009. The articles are used to deconstruct the concept of leadership within this
bounded frame. The resultant 'statements' of leadership from these two views are traced
from the present through to their first emergence in the early 1900s. This process reveals a
concealed leadership history that is based on the transformational possibilities of the
present and engages with reciprocal relationship building.
The conclusion draws attention to an alternative research strategy in which to examine the
concept of business leadership. The contributions made by this study to the wider business
leadership literature are,
• To develop and operationalize, through a problem presented in the present a
research strategy based on reflexivity and Foucaultian historical analysis,
• To open a marginal space in which to view leadership theory development from an
(
alternative perspective
• To generate new conversations and spark new thoughts concerning leadership
practice in the 21st Century.