Feminist critical discourse of leadership with emphasis on transformational leadership theory

• Main Authors: Mišić-Andrić Marijana, Markov Slobodanka
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Serbian Sociological Association, Belgrade 2012-01-01
• Series: Sociološki Pregled
• Subjects: feminism; gender; leadership theory; transformational leadership
• Online Access: http://scindeks-clanci.ceon.rs/data/pdf/0085-6320/2012/0085-63201203341M.pdf

In the past few decades women are more and more reaching leadership positions traditionally reserved for men. Women reaching leadership positions, even the highest, together with development of transformational leadership theory led to an increased scientific interest in relationship between gender and transformational leadership theory. Unlike dominant leadership theories, feminist theories in the past decades have offered new theoretical and research concepts that can improve our understanding of gender in the study of leadership and organizations. In this paper we have tried to research how different feminist theories, developed from the three waves of feminism, link with scientific studies of gender and transformational leadership. Thought presentation and analysis of dominant leadership theories, with emphasis on transformational leadership theory, and their analysis in feminist perspective we have tired to present how each of the feminist theories highlight a different aspect in understanding of gender and transformational leadership. In this paper we have also tried to show the theoretical and methodological advantages and disadvantages for each of the feminist theories and possible future direction of research of gender and transformational leadership.