Responsible leadership in the organizational context

Abstract

Responsible leadership is a new type of leadership emerging in the world of business and in academic research. Literature covered the definition of responsible leadership, its relation with different types of leadership and the individual factors affecting responsible leadership. Organizational factors affecting responsible leadership were scarce in the literature. This paper tackled the organizational context of responsible leadership. Its purpose was to integrate responsible leadership in the organizational context, identify the different organizational factors affecting responsible leadership and finally suggest some recommendations that nurture responsible leadership. In order to fulfill the aim of this research, the researcher adopted a qualitative research with an exploratory nature. Seventeen interviewees were selected through purposive sampling. Thematic analysis was adopted for data analysis. Findings answered the three research questions of the research. They underlined a link between responsible leadership and the organizational context. They supported previously identified organizational factors impacting responsible leadership. They reinforced and underlined poorly identified factors such as HR contribution. They introduced and highlighted new organizational factors such as whistle blowing policy and executive compensations. Lastly, they suggested recommendations that can be used by business people in order to nurture and support responsible leadership. Responsible leadership is highly impacted by the organizational context through many organizational factors, social pressures and psychosocial dynamics. This paper strengthened Human Resources (HR) contribution to responsible leadership through many factors under HR. Future research may tackle every organizational factor individually or study the practices of responsible leadership.