I have chosen to use the article by Parris, D., & Peachey, J. (2013).
A Systematic Literature Review of Servant Leadership Theory in Organizational Contexts. Journal Of Business Ethics, 113(3), 377-393 to complete the Unit 4.2 assignment.
- Is the topic interesting?
The topic of Servant Leadership is interesting because although its origins stem from the leadership style of Jesus Christ, it has not been studied in leadership theory until recently. (Sendjaya, S. and Sattos, J., 2002, p. 57 and 58).The topic is introduced in a broad context, by Parris, D., & Peachey, J. by describing the topic of Servant Leadership as one that is linked to ethics, virtues,and morality” (2013, p. 377). By introducing the topic in a broad context, the research appeals to a broader audience. Rating: 3
Is there a meaningful problem?
The problem is clearly stated that there is a controversy surrounding Servant Leadership, and according to Parris, D., & Peachey, J., critics of the theory are concerned whether this new leadership theory is “significantly distinct, viable, and valuable for organizational success” (Parris and Peachey, 2013, p. 377). I believe that the research is very important, as first and most importantly, the research must prove that Servant Leadership is a distinct style of its own. Rating: 3.
- Is the importance of the problem justified?
Clear evidence of the problem of proving that Servant Leadership is a distinct style of its own becomes apparent, when the Systematic Literature Review conducted by the authors reveals that part of the problem with Servant Leadership Theory is that there are several interpretations of what characteristics actually define Servant Leadership (Parris, D., & Peachey, J., 2013, p.380). This lack of consensus has created confusion and has resulted in the majority of the research to date, focussing on conceptualizing a definition and creating measurement tools for empirical testing (Parris, D., & Peachey, J., 2013, p. 389). Rating: 3
- Are there deficiencies in the knowledge about the problem?
Without one standard, accepted definition of what Servant Leadership is, many of the researchers have developed their own models for testing based on their definition of Servant Leadership; resulting in a state of confusion and detracting from the outcomes of their research (Van Dierendonck, 2011) in (Parris, D., & Peachey, J., 2013, p. 389). To further complicate the theory, the researchers also discovered that cross cultural studies indicate that different attributes of Servant Leadership were weighted differently across cultures (Parris, D., & Peachey, J., 2013, p.387). Rating: 3
- Is an audience identified and are there specific examples of how the audience can use the missing knowledge?
The research found that Servant Leadership theory remains under-defined with no theoretical framework (Parris, D., & Peachey, J., 2013, p. 389). In my opinion, more research needs to be done to reach consensus on the characteristics of Servant Leadership, so that a consistent model and framework can be utilized for future research. The agreed upon model and framework could then be more easily applied and studied in an organizational setting. Rating: 3
- Does the passage clearly argue that the study is warranted?
The problem, deficiencies and results are clearly stated and logically discussed. The authors provide a thorough analysis and review of current literature and the status of Servant Leadership Theory. Rating: 3.
- Is the passage well written?
The study is well-written and very interesting. The authors were very systematic in compiling their research. The conclusions were discussed in detail. Strengths and weaknesses of the study were also discussed and highlighted. Rating: 3
My overall quality rating of the study is 3.
References
Parris, D., & Peachey, J. (2013). A Systematic Literature Review of Servant Leadership Theory in Organizational Contexts. Journal Of Business Ethics, 113(3), 377-393. doi:10.1007/s10551-012-1322-6