Assessment 1: Literature Review On Leadership Due Date 24th

Assessment 1 Literature Review Leadership Due Date 24thlength 150

Assessment 1: Literature Review (Leadership ) Due date: 24th Length: 1500 words + reference list Reference Style: havard referencing objectives: Your task is to review the literature relevant to the Course case study: Genocide in Rwanda: Leadership, ethics and organisational ‘failure’ in a post-colonial context. The case focuses on the organizational factors that played a role in “failing” to prevent genocide in Rwanda. In particular, it focuses on the interplay between key leaders and geo-political relations. A literature review is an examination of the relevant writings in a particular field or topic, not just a summary of the chapters and articles you have read. You should examine and illustrate the different frameworks of leadership (discussed in detail in Week 3 class) available to understand the relations between the leadership approaches and contexts which influenced the particular approaches. In the review, you should also express ideas, concepts, and arguments in a logical and coherent written form consistent with academic standards. PS: i have included the lecture slides for week 3 and some of the instructions that was told to me

Paper For Above instruction

The genocide in Rwanda remains one of the most catastrophic events of the 20th century, marked by profound organizational failures and leadership lapses that contributed to the scale and brutality of the violence. Understanding the role of leadership in such contexts involves examining various frameworks that interpret leadership behaviors, decision-making processes, and organizational dynamics within complex socio-political environments. This literature review explores relevant theories and models of leadership, analyzing how different approaches help elucidate the organizational and individual actions that either prevented or facilitated the Rwandan genocide.

A fundamental framework in leadership studies is transformational leadership, which emphasizes inspiring and motivating followers towards a common vision. Bass and Avolio (1994) describe transformational leaders as those who foster change through intellectual stimulation and individualized consideration. Applying this perspective to Rwanda, it appears that some leaders failed to embody transformational qualities that could have promoted national reconciliation and ethical governance, thereby contributing to divisions rather than unity (Mama & Nkwi, 2018). Conversely, transactional leadership, which centers on exchanges and rewards, reflects a more reactive approach that may have perpetuated existing divisions by emphasizing loyalty and authority (Burns, 1978). Analyzing key figures through these lenses underscores the importance of ethical and visionary leadership in preventing such crises.

Another relevant framework is servant leadership, which prioritizes serving others and ethical responsibility (Greenleaf, 1977). The Rwandan case reveals a significant deficit in servant leadership qualities among political elites, who instead engaged in destructive power struggles and ethnic propaganda. Such leadership failures undermine organizational integrity and heighten the likelihood of organizational failure in crisis management (Spears, 2010). Furthermore, the concept of ethical leadership becomes pivotal when examining the organizational inaction during genocide. Researchers like Brown and Treviño (2006) highlight that ethical leadership fosters trust and accountability, which are crucial in preventing mass atrocities.

Contextual and contingency theories of leadership also provide valuable insights. Fiedler’s Contingency Model (1964) suggests that leadership effectiveness depends on the match between leadership style and situational favorableness. In Rwanda’s highly volatile ethnic and political landscape, leaders who were adaptable and sensitive to contextual cues might have mitigated conflict escalation. Similarly, House’s Path-Goal Theory (1971) emphasizes leaders’ roles in clarifying paths towards goals and removing obstacles, a concept relevant to understanding organizational failures in crisis response. The absence of flexible, context-aware leadership contributed to the organizational failure to intervene effectively during the genocide.

Organizational factors and institutional dynamics further influence the leadership outcomes in crisis situations. Organizational culture, power structures, and decision-making processes shape how leadership is enacted and how crises are managed (Schein, 2010). In Rwanda, institutional failures, lapses in communication, and coordinated responses were evident, indicating systemic issues rather than solely individual shortcomings. The interplay between leaders’ personal attributes and organizational structures created an environment unsuitable for crisis prevention.

In conclusion, the literature suggests that multiple leadership frameworks can shed light on the organizational and behavioral failures that contributed to the genocide in Rwanda. Transformational, transactional, servant, and ethical leadership paradigms each offer insights into how leadership qualities, contextual awareness, and organizational culture influence crisis outcomes. A comprehensive understanding of these models underscores the importance of ethical, adaptive, and visionary leadership in preventing similar tragedies in post-colonial contexts. This review highlights the need for future research to explore how these leadership approaches can be fostered within organizations to build resilience against similar organizational failures.

References

• Bass, B. M., & Avolio, B. J. (1994). Improving organizational effectiveness through transformational leadership. Sage Publications.
• Brown, M. E., & Treviño, L. K. (2006). Ethical leadership: A review and future directions. The Leadership Quarterly, 17(6), 595-616.
• Burns, J. M. (1978). Leadership. Harper & Row.
• Fiedler, F. E. (1964). A contingency model of leadership effectiveness. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 1, 149-190.
• Greenleaf, R. K. (1977). Servant Leadership: A Journey into the Nature of Legitimate Power and Greatness. Paulist Press.
• House, R. J. (1971). A path-goal theory of leader effectiveness. Administrative Science Quarterly, 16(3), 321-339.
• Mama, A., & Nkwi, P. N. (2018). Leadership and conflict in Rwanda: Insights from transformational leadership perspectives. Journal of Peacebuilding & Development, 13(2), 42-55.
• Schein, E. H. (2010). Organizational Culture and Leadership (4th ed.). Jossey-Bass.
• Spears, L. C. (2010). Servant Leadership in Organizations: Inspirational Stories, Emerging Perspectives. The Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership.