The relationship between Islamic leadership and public sector practices in Jordan: a new dynamic Islamic leadership model

Abstract

This research aims to develop a dynamic Islamic leadership model that is culturally specific to the Islamic setting and based upon empirical evidence from the Islamic setting, the context of the public sector in Jordan. The current literature review covers the pervious Islamic leadership studies and some of the most prevailing non-Islamic leadership styles along with a focus on the Islamic doctrine and general managerial principles emanating from it. The critical review of the relevant literature led to an in-depth comparison between the characteristics of the previous Islamic leadership models which resulted in producing evident knowledge gaps. Consequently, a new framework has been created based on an initial consideration focusing on the most five culturally significant and specific characteristics for the Islamic leadership that were identified from the previous Islamic leadership models. The adopted methodology of the current research is established on the Constructivism ontological philosophy and the epistemological philosophy of Interpretivism. A primary case study has been conducted in a chosen two case studies from the Jordanian public sector as a qualitative method has been employed to obtain answers to the study’s research question and fulfil the objectives of the research. The semi-structured interview has been utilised as the primary strategy for the data collection. Twenty-four semi-structured interview questions were constructed for the collection of the primary data based on the developed framework that focused on the chosen five culturally significant and specific characteristics for the Islamic leadership. Twenty semi-structured interviews were conducted that targeted managers and employees from the chosen two case studies of the Jordanian public sector to provide the researcher with the opinions and perceptions of the two key parties (managers and employees) that form the concept of the Islamic leadership. The current study implemented the thematic analysis technique due to the flexibility this technique provides that suits the inductive data analysis approach adopted by the current study and allows the focus on specific meanings through the interpretation of the participants’ perceptions. The findings of this research produced rich information regarding the culturally significant and specific characteristics for Islamic leadership. Initially, the findings revealed that these Islamic characteristics are at the forefront of the Islamic leadership characteristic as they are indeed widely practiced by the managers in the Jordanian public sector. These culturally significant and specific characteristics for Islamic leadership constitute five of the key six themes that form the new dynamic Islamic leadership model generated from this study’s findings. Further in-depth analysis of the findings revealed a significant contribution that differentiates the current study from the previous Islamic leadership models, which is represented in the sixth theme “Motivated by the Islamic doctrine and principles” that is perceived as the core of the new dynamic Islamic leadership model. The analysis of the findings established that the new dynamic Islamic leadership model is grounded on the sixth main theme “Motivated by the Islamic doctrine and principles” as this theme constitutes the crux around which all the previous five main themes (the culturally significant and specific characteristics for Islamic leadership) are built. The five main themes are interlinked with the sixth main theme “Motivated by the Islamic doctrine and principles” through linkages represented in a set of Islamic managerial principles emanated from the Islamic doctrine. The current study bridges the identified knowledge gaps and produces a novelty of work through adding value and contributing to the existing body of knowledge and practice. The limitations of the current research are presented in targeting the public sector of Jordan as the Islamic setting at which the empirical study is implemented, while further research could focus on other Islamic countries and other sectors as the findings might differ or add on to the one’s of the current research. The time-limited nature of the current research signifies that it could not cover all of the culturally relevant characteristics for the Islamic leadership as some of these kept out characteristics might add on and enrich the current contributions.