Leadership of Networks and Performance: A Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis

In contrast to hierarchical leadership within intra-organizational contexts, leaders of inter-organizational networks have to lead across organizational boundaries without hierarchical fiat or directive authority. The central research question of Susanne Ruckdaschel is how leadership behavior of network managers can influence network performance. Hereby, relational leadership in the form of empowering leadership is regarded as decisive criterion. Her study focuses on the interplay between network leaders and network companies. The perspectives of both the network managers and the network members are illuminated. Therefore, first, a mixed methods study is conducted from the perspective of the network managers and second, a quantitative analysis based on a structural equation model focuses on the perspective of the network members.