TITLE:
Towards a Conceptual Framework for Political Leadership Theory and Practice: A Thematic Analysis of the Literature
AUTHORS:
Duke Ohene Ofosu-Anim, Seung-Hee Back
KEYWORDS:
Political Leadership Theory, Political Leadership Practice, Political Leadership Model
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Leadership,
Vol.10 No.3,
August
2,
2021
ABSTRACT: While there is agreement on the relevance of
political leadership theory and practice, there is still deficiency in
literature on viable approaches, enabling factors, and suitable personality
characteristics. Suggested models for political leadership are mostly untested, which make their
applicability and effects largely unknown. This paper proposes development of a
conceptual framework and discusses how it can be used to design a model for
political leadership. A thematic review of literature on political leadership
identified 27 different theories and practices which elucidated fully or
partially the components of political leadership theory and practice. The
models were subjected to a thematic analysis to identify themes used in
political leadership. The results were used to develop a conceptual framework.
Two themes and four processes of political leadership were identified. From
these results, a
conceptual framework for political leadership theory and practice was
developed. The framework illustrates the two components of the political
leadership theory and practice while indicating a multidisciplinary set of
relationships. As such the framework allows for individual themes to occur
repeatedly through the political leadership continuum. The results of the study
can serve as a preliminary model for developing an extended understanding of the theory and practice of
political leadership, and also be used in disciplines such as political
science, economics, sociology, and psychology, as a guide in determining
inter-relational dynamics in political leadership patterns, behaviors, and
character traits of leaders in future studies. The framework provides a
foundation for gathering evidence from scenario-based case studies on the
political leadership function. Attempts at utilising thematic analysis to
develop a framework for ascertaining congruence between political leadership
theory and practice is a new concept and it calls for further future study to
improve the framework with an aim of advancing its practicality in explaining
the concepts.