Abstract:
This study analyzes the effect of the national culture dimensions individualism and collectivism and power distance (Hofstede 1980) on the practice of servant leadership (Greenleaf 2002) in two higher education institutions (one from the United States and the other from Ecuador). These countries were selected for their contrasting levels in terms of these cultural dimensions. Representative samples of students and administrative staff of the two institutions were obtained. Adapted versions of a servant leadership measurement instrument (Dennis and Bocarnea 2005) and a questionnaire to measure “individualism and collectivism” (Singelis et al. 1995) were applied to the samples. An instrument based on the characteristics of “power distance” identified by Hofstede (1980) was also applied. Initially, independent sample T tests were applied to identify significant differences between the two samples in the variables of interest. Posteriorly, Pearson’s correlation coefficients and linear regression analysis were performed to analyze the relationships among the variables. Finally, Fisher’s Z tests were performed to identify differences in the magnitude of the correlations between the two samples. There was a statistically significant difference between the samples with regard to servant leadership and power distance. The results also showed that power distance was a significant predictor of servant leadership in the two samples, with a different magnitude. Additionally, the findings revealed individualism to be a significant predictor of servant leadership only in the Ecuadorian sample. The results support the notion that specific national cultural dimensions affect the practice of servant leadership and this relationship has a different magnitude depending on the culture. Keywords: Servant Leadership, National Cultural Dimensions, Individualism, Power Distance Introduction n the past few decades, the world has become increasingly globalized (Mendenhall 2013; Cohen 2010; Goldsmith et al. 2003; Jarvis 2000; Steers, Nardon, and Sanchez-Runde 2012; Livermore 2010). Global economic, political, and cultural boundaries are becoming increasingly blurred. While this has created significant benefits for many, others face challenges as a result these trends. In recent years, many nations have experienced political shifts that signal a desire for a change in leadership that suggests a search for better approaches to navigating the opportunities and challenges of globalization. One of leadership models that has been suggested as relevant for our times is that of servant leadership. Grounded in the idea that a leader’s motive to serve is the foundation of great leadership, servant leadership is emerging as a model for leadership that holds the potential to change the way leaders approach our global society. Many believe that it represents the best potential approach to leadership for addressing many of the challenges that we face in this complex, global society (Rodriguez-Carvajal et al. 2014; McClellan 2013; Trompenaars and Voerman 2009; Ferch 2012).