There is a relatively recent leadership concept, strategic leadership, which considers the relationship
between leadership and external organizational outcomes. This notion has been conceptualized in
terms of innate characteristics of top-level managers. The accompanying behavioral patterns have not
been unveiled yet. Most of the leadership research (based on the tripod ontology) is based on studies
of lower-level managers, focusing on supervisor behavior DQGKLVRUKHULQIOXHQFHRQVXERUGLQDWH¶
satisfaction and performance (labeled supervisory leadership).
RESEARCH GAP
Combining the historical-social context of organizations that (i) operate in an increasingly complex
external environment and (ii) organize themselves more horizontally, with the current research
context which is characterized by a focus on (i) the internal organization, neglecting the
organizational context, and (ii) hierarchically differentiated research streams, led to the identification
of a research gap (see Figure 1).
Figure 1: Research gapA first step in bridging this gap was drawing on the existing literature and building upon concepts
which fit the contemporary context and take it from there. The strategic leadership concept is most in
tune with the need for a link between leadership and the external organizational context. Claims have
been made that strategic leadership is applicable across all organizational levels (no hierarchical
differentiation). Despite the growing interest in the topic of strategic leadership, its conceptualization
and operationalization has been lacking. This dissertation entails the conceptualization,
operationalization and validation of a strategic leadership model, which result in two application
studies.