Leadership in Saudi Arabia: A Multifaceted Phenomenon

  • Khalil M. Dirani*
  • , Christine Silva Hamie
  • , Hayfaa Tlaiss
  • *Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

10 Scopus citations

Abstract

Making sense of leadership development in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is very important for a number of reasons. The kingdom is considered the heart of Islam; it is one of the closest Arab allies to the United States, and the largest producer of oil in the world. However, the country is undergoing rapid changes: Its aged leadership is ceding power to a new generation, and its society, which is dominated by young people, is restive. Saudi Arabia has long remained closed to foreign scholars, with a select few academics allowed into the kingdom over the past decade. The purpose of this chapter is to present contextual factors affecting leadership practices and development in the kingdom. In particular, the authors provide a historical, geographical, and economic overview of KSA in connection to leadership practices; discuss cultural, economic, political, and other social aspects affecting leadership and leadership development in the kingdom; and present examples of how leadership practices are reflected in different sectors.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationPalgrave Studies of Internationalization in Emerging Markets
PublisherSpringer Nature
Pages245-260
Number of pages16
DOIs
StatePublished - 2017
Externally publishedYes

Publication series

NamePalgrave Studies of Internationalization in Emerging Markets
ISSN (Print)2662-1185
ISSN (Electronic)2662-1193

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2017, The Author(s).

Keywords

  • Leadership Development
  • Leadership Practice
  • Leadership Style
  • Paternalistic Leader
  • Saudi Arabia

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Business and International Management
  • Business, Management and Accounting (miscellaneous)
  • Strategy and Management
  • Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Leadership in Saudi Arabia: A Multifaceted Phenomenon'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this