Is leadership a visible phenomenon? On the (im)possibility of studying leadership
(2013) In International Journal of Management Concepts and Philosophy 7(3-4). p.174-188- Abstract
- This paper draws on Jean–Luc Marion's notion of non–objective phenomena to discuss the difficulty of studying leadership. Marion conceptualises non–objective phenomena as phenomena that cannot be captured by scientific methods. Attempts to do so result in a poor understanding of the phenomenon as it gives itself. Put differently: non–objective phenomena remain invisible to the gaze of the researcher. The paper shows how leadership scholars are indecisive about the question of whether leadership is to be understood as an objective or as a non–objective phenomenon. Or more precisely they tend to understand leadership as a non–objective phenomenon, but study leadership as if it were objective. This mismatch, the paper suggests, explains why... (More)
- This paper draws on Jean–Luc Marion's notion of non–objective phenomena to discuss the difficulty of studying leadership. Marion conceptualises non–objective phenomena as phenomena that cannot be captured by scientific methods. Attempts to do so result in a poor understanding of the phenomenon as it gives itself. Put differently: non–objective phenomena remain invisible to the gaze of the researcher. The paper shows how leadership scholars are indecisive about the question of whether leadership is to be understood as an objective or as a non–objective phenomenon. Or more precisely they tend to understand leadership as a non–objective phenomenon, but study leadership as if it were objective. This mismatch, the paper suggests, explains why leadership studies tends to oscillate between objectivist science and (pseudo) religious image making and why it struggles to find a foothold in either sphere. In light of this problem, the paper suggests 'leadership image studies' as a possible way forward. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/8302951
- author
- Spoelstra, Sverre LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2013
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- leadership studies, image making, objective phenomenon, non–objective phenomenon, phenomenology, gift, Jean–Luc Marion, social constructionism, leadership traits, visibility, religion, objectivist science, leadership image studies
- in
- International Journal of Management Concepts and Philosophy
- volume
- 7
- issue
- 3-4
- pages
- 174 - 188
- publisher
- Inderscience Publishers
- ISSN
- 1478-1484
- DOI
- 10.1504/IJMCP.2013.056499
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 18a075f4-0186-4f3f-8f27-212476152d54 (old id 8302951)
- date added to LUP
- 2016-04-01 10:55:51
- date last changed
- 2018-11-21 19:52:49
@article{18a075f4-0186-4f3f-8f27-212476152d54, abstract = {{This paper draws on Jean–Luc Marion's notion of non–objective phenomena to discuss the difficulty of studying leadership. Marion conceptualises non–objective phenomena as phenomena that cannot be captured by scientific methods. Attempts to do so result in a poor understanding of the phenomenon as it gives itself. Put differently: non–objective phenomena remain invisible to the gaze of the researcher. The paper shows how leadership scholars are indecisive about the question of whether leadership is to be understood as an objective or as a non–objective phenomenon. Or more precisely they tend to understand leadership as a non–objective phenomenon, but study leadership as if it were objective. This mismatch, the paper suggests, explains why leadership studies tends to oscillate between objectivist science and (pseudo) religious image making and why it struggles to find a foothold in either sphere. In light of this problem, the paper suggests 'leadership image studies' as a possible way forward.}}, author = {{Spoelstra, Sverre}}, issn = {{1478-1484}}, keywords = {{leadership studies; image making; objective phenomenon; non–objective phenomenon; phenomenology; gift; Jean–Luc Marion; social constructionism; leadership traits; visibility; religion; objectivist science; leadership image studies}}, language = {{eng}}, number = {{3-4}}, pages = {{174--188}}, publisher = {{Inderscience Publishers}}, series = {{International Journal of Management Concepts and Philosophy}}, title = {{Is leadership a visible phenomenon? On the (im)possibility of studying leadership}}, url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1504/IJMCP.2013.056499}}, doi = {{10.1504/IJMCP.2013.056499}}, volume = {{7}}, year = {{2013}}, }