Leadership behaviours and capabilities in Syria: an exploratory qualitative approach

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to understand the nature of leadership development in Syria, by answering specific research questions: what are the types of leadership behaviours and capabilities adopted by companies operating in Syria? And why are they adopted? Design/methodology/approach - Qualitative research method has been adopted to achieve the aim of this study. Findings - The findings revealed that the leadership behaviours and capabilities required for business environment in Syria include strategic thinking, business skills, communication, understanding the whole, ability to change, teamwork, self-awareness, decision making/problem solving, and adaptability. Research limitations/implications - Research data has been collected in an unstable environment because of what was called the Arab Spring, so this affected not only the participants, but also how they respond to each question. Additionally, only the for-profit sector was involved in the study because of its flexibility, lack of bureaucracy, and application of leadership development. Practical implications - The paper explores the major leadership behaviours and capabilities utilised and their purposes, as well as more broadly for designers who are attempting to develop leadership in the Syrian context. Originality/value - The study offers data and interpretation of a specific non-Western context on which foundation further studies in the Middle Eastern context can be developed.