Digitalisation and the phenomenon of digital transformation is rapidly and fundamentally changing existing businesses and organisations alike (Collin, 2015). Although considered a prime challenge for leaders of complex and changing organisations, research in the combined field of digitalisation and leadership however still remain scarce. As executives are tasked with the leading of digital transformation, this study aims to understand how digitalisation effects top management leadership. To achieve this, the study takes a two-folded approach by (1) outlining six characteristics of digitalisation and (2) analysing how these characteristics effect three contemporary forms of leadership: values-based, transformative and authentic leadership. Through a broad literature survey and 13 in-depth interviews with executives and organisational leaders, the study found that the six identified characteristics of digitalisation all effected the three forms of contemporary leadership. The different characteristics did not only change how the leaders practiced each of their leadership styles, but also how their leadership manifested itself through the use of various digital tools, methods and processes in order to enhance and empower their leadership. Even the sub-features of each leadership form were subject to this fundamental digital change. What was also found were three complementary perspectives when leading complex and changing organisations: the perspective of holism, virtuality and networked-based hubs. Each of these perspectives were premiered aspects to be considered as a contemporary leader.

Studien hade som syfte att studera hur ledare inom ett specifikt företag uppfattar sitt eget ledarskap vilket analyseras utifrån ett teoretiskt perspektiv om värdebaserat ledarskap. Syftet operationaliseras genom att behandla frågeställningarna hur företagets ledarna uppfattar sitt eget ledarskap utifrån ledarskapsmodellen på företaget samt hur värdebaserat ledarskap tar sig i uttryck på företaget. Studiens empiri samlades in genom kvalitativa, internetunderstödda, semistrukturerade intervjuer. Urvalet bestod av åtta ledare på företaget och var i första steget ett bekvämlighetsurval som transformerades till ett snöbollsurval. Företaget är en del av en global koncern inom persontransport där vi studerade verksamheten i Sverige. Intervjuerna transkriberades och materialet kodades utifrån temana egen uppfattning av ledarskap, ledarskapsmodellen generellt, specifika förmågor från ledarskapsmodellen och användningsområden för ledarskapsmodellen. Tematiseringen i resultat och analys utgick från studiens två frågeställningar. Resultatet visade att ledarnas egna uppfattningar om sitt ledarskap överensstämde i stort med egenskaperna i ledarskapsmodellen samt att värdebaserat ledarskap framförallt tar sig uttryck genom självutveckling och medarbetarsamtal. Empirin påvisade att ledarskapsmodellen påverkar beteenden hos ledarna eftersom respondenternas utsagor om sitt eget ledarskap härleds till egenskaperna i modellen. Värdebaserat ledarskap tar sig uttryck på företaget genom företagets ledarskapsmodell, ledarnas utsagor och hur de använder sig av modellen i olika kontexter. / The purpose of this study was to examine how leaders within a specific company perceive their own leadership, which is analyzed from a theoretical perspective on values-based leadership. The purpose is operationalized by addressing the issues of how the company's leaders perceive their own leadership based on the leadership model of the company and how values-based leadership manifests itself within the company. The study's empirical data were collected through qualitative, internet-supported, semi-structured interviews. The selection consisted of eight managers at the company and was in it’s first step a convenience sampling that transformed into a chain sampling. The company is part of a multinational corporate group active in the passenger transport industry where the study focused on the business in Sweden. The interviews were transcribed, and the material was coded on the basis of the managers perceptions of leadership, the leadership model in general, specific traits in the leadership model, and areas of use for the leadership model. The thematization of results and analysis was based on the study's two issues. The result showed that the managers own perceptions of their leadership were in line with the characteristics of the leadership model and that values-based leadership was expressed mainly through self-development and staff appraisal. The data demonstrated that the leadership model influences the behavior of leaders because leaders' statements about their own leadership are derived from the characteristics of the model. Values-based leadership is expressed by the company through the company's leadership model, leaders' statements and how they use the model in different contexts.

Globally and nationally in Sweden, we see an increased awareness of the interconnectedness of sustainability challenges and an understanding that no single actor or sector possesses the resources, knowledge or creativity needed to develop and implement holistic solutions to bring about disruptive transformations of the currently unsustainable system. This has led to an increased demand for collaborative governance and values-based responsible leadership. Despite this growing interest, we identify a gap in research regarding what leadership approach and competencies are needed to harness the potential of collaboration. The purpose of this study is to understand individual leaders’ perspectives on responsible leadership in collaborative governance aimed at systemic sustainable development. By gathering qualitative data through semi-structured interviews with 9 leaders active in collaborative governance in Sweden we contribute with research on internal competencies in leadership. We analyze the individual leaders’ reflections in relation to three concepts from responsible leadership: ethics and values, self-awareness and stakeholder relations. Through this study we find that responsible leadership provides a suitable holistic approach to address the complex challenges of collaborative governance aimed at systemic sustainable development. In addition, we find that the three internal competencies in focus for this study are deeply interconnected and create synergies when applied in collaborative governance. Lastly, we identify that leaders’ self-awareness reflects an interconnectedness between the leaders’ perception of their own inner sustainability and the sustainability of the outer world consisting of stakeholder relations and the societal system they strive to change through their leadership. Through our findings we identify a need for further qualitative research applying an integrated approach to responsible leadership studies through which the synergies and interconnections of competencies can be better understood.

This thesis is entitled “Fostering collective teacher efficacy through values-based leadership in Ethiopian institutions of higher education”, which is delimited to the private universities. The main question was “What constitutes/determines the institutionalisation of values-based leadership (VBL) to foster collective teacher efficacy (CTE) in the context of Ethiopian private universities (EPrUs)?” The sub-questions were: 1) what does the current state of CTE and its perceived outcomes look like in EPrUs? 2) What sets of behaviours are desired to institutionalise VBL so as to foster CTE in EPrUs? 3) What are the institutional contexts required to institutionalise VBL so as to foster CTE in EPrUs? In addressing these issues, academic leaders, students and teachers from EPrUs participated in the study. As methods of data gathering both the survey method and interviews were used. Results revealed that CTE is not high enough in EPrUs and hence it needs to be fostered so as to bring the desired change in students’ learning. To foster this, institutionalisation of VBL is required that involves two inter-related aspects. The first one is about institutionalising desired values (behaviours), which are linked to the academic leaders’ yearning for positive sets of values and the teachers’ moral contract to their professional values. To this effect, the positive sets of values that academic leaders should yearn for and the sets of values that teachers should espouse as their professional values are explored. The commonalities between these values are also described and how these would be institutionalised is suggested. The values include integrity and trustworthiness, humility/selflessness, compassion and sense of gratitude, accountability and self-discipline, sense of collaboration and teamwork, and envisioning in leadership as the driving force. The second aspect is about institutionalising the contexts conducive to foster CTE and VBL support behaviours. The need to institutionalise those behaviours and contexts arise out of the perceived leadership gap (between what the teachers believe are the leadership priorities of the leaders and the behaviours they actually see in the leaders). This gap has been linked to CTE, and hence a model has been developed that would foster this efficacy. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Educational Management)