A cross-cultural comparison of leadership skills across the United States, the United Kingdom and Italy: a quantitative design using internet technology

Abstract

This study focused on cross-cultural leadership styles between the United States, the United Kingdom and the Republic of Italy to determine if any significant statistical differences in leadership style exist. It is a common belief that leadership styles vary according to cultural filters and expectations. Yet, this study failed to find support for this position. Perceived Leadership Scales and the Leadership Needs Assessment survey were adapted and modified to create a single online research instrument. The results, while tentative, found no significant differences between leadership styles in the United States, the United Kingdom and Italy. Utilizing online electronic surveys and internet related technologies the instruments were mailed to leaders of consulting firms engaged in poverty alleviation efforts in their homeland as well as in third world areas. Utilizing basic descriptive statistics the results were analyzed using SPSS. The conclusions from this study are drawn tentatively due to the small sample size and poor response rate as well as some methodological issues. Notwithstanding these concerns, however, the central conclusion of the study is that while it may be politically correct to assume there is a significant difference between leadership styles based on cultural norms and expectations filters, the data, at least in this limited study, does not support this assumption.