Tracing the rich component of virtue/goodness episteme and its accompanying power systems through leadership discourse, this theoretical inquiry seeks to discover the ontological essence of the leadership phenomenon. Utilizing Foucauldian, Husserlian and Derridean theoretical lenses, the power systems of the virtue/goodness episteme begins with an inspection of how this key leadership qualifier of materializes in leadership discourse from Classical Greek to present day. Virtue’s accompanying power systems are analyzed through a Foucauldian lens of pastoral power and power/knowledge. A discussion of meaning-making within a semiotic theoretical locus follows, which leads to a phenomenological reduction and deconstruction of the leadership phenomenon, revealing a three-component leadership object that is micro-social, interdependent, and non-classical in structure. A discussion of examples from modern leadership discourse that align with the properties of the leadership object potential for further study ensues.

In spite of the volume of theoretical attention paid to concepts of leadership, there has been little work investigating how assumptions included in concepts of organization have influenced work in the organizational leadership field. Specifically, the concept of exit from organizations, and individual post-exit relations with former groups, in particular, has seen little theory or empirical investigation. This article employs a critical literature review to show that assumptions inherent in concepts of organization, such as prioritizing efficiency and profit production, preclude organizational leadership theories from expanding upon concepts of exit. These assumptions begin with the Weberian concepts of Bureaucracy and continue today in studies of market exit and employee turnover. This review shows that these assumptions have restricted organizational studies research from expanding into additional fields and organizational types, such as religious, separatist, and political organizations. Additionally, this review points towards fruitful new areas of research, through an analysis of New Religious Movements as they apply to organizational leadership studies and the development of an improved survey for measuring turnover in organizations.

First-generation and low-income high school students have historicallyexperienced disadvantages to enrolling in post-secondary education. While there are many programs that assist first-generation and low-income high school students in enrolling and achieving post-secondary education, it is unclear if these programs create equitable opportunities for their target populations. This study explores the realities of the people, and policies in practice at an Upward Bound program to understand if the program creates opportunities for first-generation and low-income students in the program, or if the realities of the people and policies in practice in the program create opportunity gaps thus impacting first-generation and low-income students in the program. The study was conducted through the opportunity gap explanatory framework which provided a framework to understand the educational practices that construct opportunity gaps. The perspective of two administrators and three educators from one rural Upward Bound program was captured. Ethnographic interviews were conducted to collect data and thematic analysis was used to analyze and describe the opportunities and opportunity gaps that existed within the program. The data suggest that both opportunities and opportunity gaps co-exist within one rural Upward Bound program.

Employee Organizational Citizenship Behavior (OCB) can have a significant impact on organizational performance. The frequency of employee OCB is positively related to transformational leadership. This study utilized this established positive relationship between transformational leadership and employee OCB, and rigor tested if this relationship was impacted by the size of the organization. Size as a moderating factor hasn’t really been studied between this relationship of transformational leadership and OCB in the US. I proposed size as a moderating variable because access to an employee’s leader can have an impact on the frequency and quality of employee OCB. Participants (N=131) were invited to respond to an online survey about the frequency of their own OCB as well as their interactions with their transformational leader. Participants were provided definitions for both OCB and transformational leadership to receive accurate results. Results showed that the effects of transformational leadership on employee OCB matter substantially in larger organizations when compared to small organizations. Findings revealed that employees in larger organizations tend to perform acts of OCB less often when they didn’t perceive that their transformational leader was accessible. This study sets the ground for further research into this phenomenon of whether size impacts employee OCB when they have a transformational leader in the United States. Further research is recommended to investigate whether this impact is exclusive to transformational leadership or are other types of leadership also impacted. Keywords: transformational leadership, Organizational Citizenship Behavior (OCB), leadership behavior, organizational size.

Police excessive force, unlawful stops and searches, false arrests, and other forms of misconduct remain significant issues in American law enforcement. Abuses of power by even a few police officers erode public trust, reduce the legitimacy of law enforcement, and expose individual officers and law enforcement agencies to criminal and civil liability. When misconduct occurs, inadequate police leadership and supervision are often cited as contributing causes. First-line supervisors have direct, positional authority to influence the behavior of officers they lead, yet little is known about what actions first-line supervisors are expected to take to prevent misconduct. Federal consent decrees have been a promising area of police reform knowledge for researchers and practitioners. While these documents enumerate dozens of police reform measures in multiple subject areas, the role of the first-line supervisor remains disparate and unclear, ultimately hampering the effectiveness of first-line supervisors in operationalizing the reforms prescribed by these documents. The aim of this study was to develop a conceptual model that enhances understanding of actions police first-line supervisors are expected to take to prevent officer misconduct. A qualitative content analysis of federal consent decrees led to the development of six themes and a conceptual model that describe expected first-line supervisor behavior. This paper contributes to the body of knowledge about police leadership in the context of misconduct prevention and consent decree reform. It proposes a conceptual model helpful to police practitioners seeking to better define the role of first-line supervisors in an unpredictable, complex work environment that leaves little room for error.

The simplicity of everyday living creates opportunities for leadership based on individually curated personal networks that have developed overtime through the act of living and personal experience. These networks are unique to individuals; however, when grouped, they share enough similarities with others in their proximal environment, thus, allowing for the formation of spontaneous self-organized groups, based on either a felt need, a shared history, a common goal, or combination of such. These leadership opportunities heed the call for action within their community because the felt need is proximal. This exploratory ethnographic case study investigates the nature of leadership within self-organized groups and how it differs from other forms of collective action. Participant interviews and observations were used to explore how individuals interpreted their roles in the group along with how they assessed and fulfilled a felt need within their community, and the different meanings of leadership in self-organized groups.

Alexis de Tocqueville, French political theorist and scientist, theorized in the 19th century that “France cannot reform except through revolution” (Heisbourg, 2016). As France continues to face a strained economy with high unemployment and stalled growth, the OECD recommends that France should implement labor reform “to promote job growth” (OECD, 2015). Labor reform refers to removing labor protections for French employees, resulting in an increase in firing and hiring flexibility for employers.

Recent governments in France have failed to bring about meaningful labor reform, faced with opposition in the streets or within their own political party. The election of Emanuel Macron, viewed as a political outsider who had never held elected office created his own political party, En Marche, seemed like the catalyst to lasting economic reform. However, if high unemployment and slow economic growth to comparable economies have been concerns for France since the beginning of the 21st century, why were past governments unsuccessful in implementing legislative actions to address labor reform?

This paper will argue that the election of Macron and the establishment of En Marche was caused by a shift in power that allowed Macron enough support to sway the political landscape of France and implement labor market reform. This largely has to do with the power struggle between France’s Outsiders, “those without secure employment, Insiders, “those with secure employment” and the Upscale group, “employers, the upper middle class, and the business and financial community” (Rudea, 2007). However, the degree and preservation of Macron’s reform plans are threatened by Insiders who have been stripped of employee protections.