Assignment Sample on The Impact of Leadership in the IT Industry
Introduction
Leadership is one of the most crucial abilities an employee or manager may cultivate in their workplace. It is crucial in every sphere of life, including business, IT, and other industries. Because the workplace and the globe are changing, leadership is essential (Bernarto et al., 2020). A team or leader occasionally has to digest, construct, and reimagine the workplace. Therefore, consistently delivering value to stakeholders like customers, employees, suppliers, and others. The only way to remain relevant in business is to do that.
Companies require exceptional leadership that is completely in line with their vision and strategy to be successful. Great leaders are charismatic, approachable, sincere, and real and they set a good example for others. Employees are driven and aspire to emulate successful leaders. The business has to establish what is referred to as a culture of feedback if executives are to communicate effectively (Oreg & Berson, 2019). This implies that everyone at any level may offer input above, to the side, and below without worrying about having it returned. A culture of feedback must start with the CEO who must act in this manner and inspire the entire team to spread this throughout the firm.
A few fundamental ideas are necessary for leadership, including:
- Motivate employees to attain their goals – An effective leader inspires and encourages others to do the same. They are adept at inspiring people to share their vision and carry it through (Daniëls et al., 2019).
- Establish attainable goals – An excellent leader establishes reasonable expectations for their team (Ahluwalia, 2020). This keeps everyone on the course and guarantees that each person is held responsible for their actions.
- Create consensus – A smart leader is aware that every member of a team has unique skills and shortcomings. They try to foster agreement among the team members so that everyone can cooperate in pursuit of a common objective (Salas-Vallina et al., 2020).
- Communicate effectively: A good leader knows how to communicate with employees. Good communication skill is the main key to being an effective leader.
Background
Every IT company has objectives and a vision that it hopes to realize. This goal-achieving is further broken down into manageable phases. Teams are made to achieve those goals since not everyone has all the skills to achieve a goal (Mugira, 2022). Wherever there are teams, the organization needs to make their vision their vision and give them the necessary tools, information, and skills to work on that goal successfully. When all of these actions are taking place, it is crucial for the company to maintain control over the team, provide the team with the right direction, inspire them when times are tough, and instill in them the belief that we can reach the objective as a team.
Research Question(s), Research Objectives, and Aims
Research questions:
The questions that a study or research endeavor will aim to answer are referred to as research questions (Zheng & Byrd, 2020). A research question describes the area to be studied and the answers that must be provided by the study, whereas a hypothesis is a scientific procedure in which the researcher assumes a solution to the research question or its sub-components and then verifies whether the assumption was correct.
In this study, the research questions are outlined several aspects of leadership in the IT industry. The research question of this research is as follows:
RO1: What is the importance of leadership in the IT industry?
RO2: What are the challenges faced by the leaders in the IT industry?
RO3: What are the important characteristics of effective leaders?
RO4: How to adopt effective leadership in the IT industry?
Research objectives and aims:
The specified, quantifiable, and time-bound goals or results that a researcher seeks to attain through a study or inquiry are known as research objectives. They serve as a road map for the research project, directing technique selection, data collecting and analysis, and result interpretation. Objectives must be supported by research questions (Grabow et al.,2019). The questions stem from gaps identified while reading and analyzing prior study material. Identifying a problem that requires a solution can also generate research questions. Finding another solution to an issue, on the other hand, is faster, easier, and simpler. The objectives must be properly written since they will impact the variables of the study as well as the statistical analysis approach that may be used to prove and authenticate the results. Leadership is vital because it offers guidance and direction. A leader clarifies the team’s aims and objectives and helps others grasp their vision for the future. A leader establishes the tone for the organization and lays forth a strategy for success. Individuals with good leadership are more likely to work together cohesively and achieve their goals more efficiently and effectively.
Figure 1: Key Leadership Competencies
(Source: Secretariat, 2019)
In this study, the main aim of the research is to identify the impact of leadership in the IT industry. To satisfy this aim research develop some objectives, which are as follows:
RO1: To analyze the importance of leadership in the IT industry.
RO2: To identify the challenges faced by the leaders in the IT industry.
RO3: To identify the important characteristics of effective leaders.
RO4: To evaluate effective leadership in the IT industry.
Literature Review
Introduction
In every industry, leadership is a crucial aspect and there is no exception for the IT industry. Effective leadership and advancements in technology have helped in driving competitiveness, innovation, and growth which has resulted in massive growth for the IT industry over the years (Cortellazzo et al. 2019). The researchers and the practitioners have been very interested in this topic of leadership in the IT industry as they have explored several leadership practices and styles and their impacts on the performances of organisations. The IT industry has a dynamic environment due to intense competition and rapid changes in technologies, hence, effective leadership is very important in order to understand the nature of this industry. High turnover rates and tremendous pressure on the employees for being more innovative at their work are some of the features of this industry which means good leaders are required to motivate the employees and to create a healthy working environment which in return will be beneficial for the organisation. A detailed analysis of the present literature on leadership in the IT Industry is discussed in this literature review. Conceptual framework, literature gap, past findings and an overall summary of the given topic will be focused on here (Loganathan 2023). The researchers and the practitioners who are studying to understand the role of leadership in enhancing the growth, innovation, and competitiveness of the industry will be benefitted from this study.
Conceptual framework
Several factors are important to promote effective leadership in this industry. These factors are
Leadership Competencies: which refer to the qualities required to be an effective leader which is proper behavior, knowledge, and skills. Some of the crucial competencies in the IT industry are the ability to adapt, innovation, detailed knowledge of technology, and strategic thinking (Lavanya et al. 2021). A detailed understanding of new trends in technology and the proper ability to identify and implement opportunities that will promote growth and innovation are necessary to become an effective leader in the IT industry.
Leadership styles: a proper approach and guidance are necessary to lead a team. There are several styles of leadership such as transactional, servant, transformational, and authentic leadership. In transactional leadership, the employee is rewarded with bonuses or promotions in return for their good work. This motivates the employees to work even better. The employees are motivated and inspired by their leaders to get a clear vision of their work and goals in transformational leadership. In servant leadership, the needs of the employees are given the most priority and in authentic leadership, the behaviour of the leaders and building trust between the leaders and the employees by maintaining transparency throughout is implemented.
Organisational Culture: here, the practices, beliefs and values that help in determining the employees’ attitude and behaviour in an organisation are prioritised. A combination of these factors can result in huge success in the IT industry whereas, a weak and negative environment will demotivate the employees which in turn will affect their work. Leaders who take necessary steps to reward their employees will help them to experiment with new ideas and feel motivated to take risks. In a culture where teamwork is emphasized, clear and open communication is practised and sharing of knowledge is implemented, the innovation and creativity of the employees will automatically increase resulting in the success and growth of the organisation. Employees should also be motivated to act according to the values and rules of the organisation. It is the responsibility of the leaders to create an environment which is transparent, honest and practised and every decision made is ethical. Providing proper training to the employees is essential. Creating a culture that promotes ongoing learning and opportunities for development are provided simultaneously will help the employees to reach their career goals.
Leaders should create a culture where innovation, creativity, continuous learning and proper behaviour (Huertas-Valdivia et al. 2022). This will motivate the employees which in turn shall add to the success, growth and development of an organisation.
Employee engagement and motivation: employees need to be committed to their work and given importance by the organisation. An environment which is supportive and promotes the well-being of the employees and opportunities for their growth and development is provided, which is known as a healthy work environment. The leaders should listen to the issues and problems faced by the employees and also include them in decision-making activities which will give the employees a certain sense of ownership that will motivate them to be more innovative and creative and give better output.
Employees who feel that their work is important and has a purpose are more likely to contribute to the success of the organisations as they will feel more involved and motivated (Shin et al 2023). Putting too much of pressure o the employees will only result in delayed and not satisfactory outcomes. The work-life balance of the employees should also be given equal priority. Opportunities for learning and development should be provided to the employees and also they should be supported in achieving their career goals.
Literature gap
There is still limited research on the topic of leadership in the IT industry that needs to be addressed. Here, the whole IT industry is considered as a whole therefore each sector is not addressed individually. This proves that there is a lack of proper research that makes it difficult to come to proper conclusions about the leadership challenges and opportunities within the industry like cybersecurity, e-commerce or software development. There is a lack of research on the leadership impact on the implementation and adoption of including more advanced technologies, which is essential to motivate employees and help them to become more innovative and competitive in the IT industry. The role of the leaders in the well-being of the employees is not researched properly. The employees work in a highly pressured environment which leads to stress and this affects their work quality (Faeq et al. 2022). Proper research is needed in order to understand the leadership roles in promoting employee engagement, work-life balance, and overall well-being. The IT industry is huge and it lacks focus on specific sectors which limits its accessibility to certain areas. Effective leadership is different in every area and differs in every context. As the industry is dynamic in nature, so proper research should be done on the impact of leadership before implementing it on these technologies. Addressing these gaps will provide a better understanding of the impact of leadership on organisational performance in the IT industry.
Figure 2: Common Leadership Style
(Source: Birt, 2023)
Past findings
There are several factors that have been found in this research which has impacted leadership in the IT industry. One important finding was that transformational leadership was the most effective style of leadership as here the leaders aim in promoting creativity, innovations and performances of the employees in the industry. They inspire and motivate the employees so that they give their best by developing new ideas, taking risks and implementing those. Here, the leaders include the employees in certain decision-making parts which make their employees feel a sense of ownership that in turn gives them confidence and motivation in their work. Their vision is created by the leaders which helps them to achieve their goals.
Another finding was the impact of organisational culture on the effectiveness of leadership. A positive work environment is very essential for the employees to deliver proper work (Criado-Perez et al. 2022). A bond of mutual respect should be created between the leaders and the employees that should include clear communication, transparency and trust. The well-being of the employees should also be a priority. Leaders who promote a healthy and positive work environment that aids in job satisfaction ad the engagement of the employees and productivity is known as an effective leader.
Summary
In this literature review, the impact of leadership in the IT industry is examined keeping in mind the organisational culture, clear and effective communication and the motivation and engagement of the employees. The critical role of leadership is highlighted here that aids in driving innovation, creativity, competitiveness and growth in the IT industry and also th need for practices of effective leadership to promote success in this dynamic field. Several key factors have been identified that include a strong organisational culture where, the main focus is on communication, innovation and collaboration. Many gaps were also found like the need for detailed research on particular sectors of the industry and the impact on the well-being of the employees. In order to promote success in this sector, these gaps need to be addressed.
Research Methodology
Introduction
This chapter outlines the novel research strategy employed to carry out this investigation. The ideas of “research philosophy,” “research approach,” and “research design” will be reviewed in this chapter, along with an explanation of how they are used in this study. This chapter will also describe the chosen technique of data collecting and its analysis procedure so that visitors understand the sources and criteria employed for this study. The study’s major flaws and research ethics are also highlighted. This study will employ a descriptive research technique to collect essential secondary data on the impact of leadership in the IT industry from prior publications.
Research Philosophy
A “research philosophy,” according to Salama (2019), is the “belief” in acquiring and analysing data regarding a certain phenomenon or study topic. It is important to note in this context that there are three often-used categories that can be used to categorize the idea of “research philosophy.” As a result, the categories “positivism,” “realism,” and “interpretivism” are all present. The positivist objective method, allows the findings to be inappropriately “unrealistic” in how they interpret complicated occurrences in a “social context.” The “realist research philosophy,” in contrast, downplays the importance of human “emotions” and “intelligence” when analyzing data that has been extracted for research (Sturgis and Clark, 2020). Research philosophy refers to the collection of ideas, assumptions, and values that govern a researcher’s way of conducting research. It includes the researcher’s worldview, assumptions about the nature of reality, comprehension, and role as a researcher. The three major research philosophies are positivism, interpretivism, and critical realism.
This inquiry will employ positivist research approaches. This study used a positivist research philosophy to identify the impact of leadership in the IT industry. A positivist research philosophy emphasizes the use of genuine facts and verified scientific procedures to investigate and explain phenomena. It is considered that the investigation’s subject and the researcher are clearly separate, and that information may be obtained objectively, methodically, and rigorously. According to the positivist philosophical school of thinking, certain or “positive” According to the positive hypothesis, the sole source of real knowledge (certitude or truth) is this posterior knowledge. Positivism is founded on empiricism, which is defined as verifiable evidence (positive facts) obtained via the senses.
The researcher’s philosophical perspective can have an impact on the study’s goal, design, methodology, and data interpretation. Philosophical points of view are important because they reveal the researcher’s assumptions about their work when they are made clear.
Research approach
A “research approach” is needed to support the data gathering and evaluation phases of the applicable study, according to Pandey & Pandey (2021). It is crucial to remember that the “inductive research approach” and the “deductive research approach” are the two most often used research techniques in this context (Wardani & Kusuma, 2020). An inductive research strategy is a research methodology that involves establishing theories or understanding of a phenomenon based on observation, data collection, and analysis. In this method, the researcher depends on the facts gathered to produce theories and ideas rather than starting with a preconceived theory or hypothesis. The inductive research strategy is frequently utilized in qualitative research, where data are gathered through observation, interviewing, and other approaches. It’s essential to remember that the inductive research approach frequently veers from the fundamental issue the study topic is trying to solve. The acquired data are transformed using this technique into data that are “generalised form” for the pertinent research. Therefore, inductive research is not used in this examination.
The deductive research strategy is a research methodology that involves using empirical observation, data collection, and analysis to test an existing theory or hypothesis. In this method, the researcher starts with a theory or hypothesis and then tries to prove or disprove it by gathering and examining data. In quantitative research, where data is gathered through surveys, trials, or other systematic procedures, the deductive research approach is frequently used. The obtained data is then examined to see if it confirms or contradicts the theory being tested. The inductive research approach, which starts with observations and data collection to produce theories or understanding of a phenomenon, is sometimes contrasted with the deductive research approach.
While inductive research is more exploratory and promotes the development of novel hypotheses and ideas, deductive research is more focused and hypothesis-driven. Overall, the deductive research method may be applied in a number of disciplines, including the natural sciences, economics, and education, and is useful for testing current theories and assumptions. However, the “deductive research approach” was advantageous for this study since it allowed for the acquisition of crucial information through a deeper understanding of a concept or idea gathered from outside sources (Wardani and Kusuma, 2020).
Research design
The research design used in this study is a case study where the impact of leadership is analysed on prominent companies. This case design is suitable for this research as it provides a detailed analysis of leadership impact in the IT industry (Willekens et al. 2023). The aim of the study is to collect and research the data from literature and industry reports in order to gain an idea of this topic. The following steps are included in the research design:
- Identifying the research questions: here the aim of the study is to answer the research question that is “ how does effective leadership impact the IT industry?”
- Selecting the case studies: selecting two prominent companies who are known for their successful operations in the industry.
- Collecting data: the datas are collected from existing industry and literature reports. The source includes journals, books and online reports. A systematic review approach is used here.
- Analysing data: the data collected is analysed to gain insights into the topic. Common patterns and themes are looked in the tudy oin order to draw conclusions.
- Drawing conclusions: conclusions are drawn based on the analysis of the data.
- Report findings: research paper that includes the research questions, methodologies nd conclusions are used as a report in the study.
Data collection
According to Cai, (2023), reviewing of literature that already exists is used as the primary data collection method. Secondary sources of data are used to gain insights into the impact of leadership in the IT industry. Sources used are academic books, journals and online reports. A systematic approach is used to collect data in this research. This approach ensures that the study is unbiased, replicable and comprehensive in nature. The data of the study is extracted by using a data extraction form that captures relevant information. these pieces of information are then analysed by the study to gain proper information on the topic. The screening of the data will be done in the basis of inclusion and exclusion criteria. In the inclusion criteria, areas like leadership in the IT industry, studies that provide proper information regarding this topic will be focused. In the exclusion criteria, studies focusing on other industries and are peer-reviewed are focused on.
Ethical Consideration
According to Bos (2020), “research ethics” refers to a set of “basic” rules that must be observed when doing research. The study’s “reliability” and “validity” are considerably improved. It is critical to remember that “high standards” must be kept when doing research. As a result, our study has paid special attention to cross-checking the acquired data in order to avoid any misinterpretation while providing light on the issue at hand (Hesse et al., 2019). Furthermore, this research completely adheres to the “university rules” about plagiarism.
Summary
The aim of the study is to research the impact of leadership in the IT industry. The research design works in a systematic review approach where the information and data is gathered and analysed from existing literature and reports of the industry. Secondary data is gathered by other methods like surveys and interviews. Protection of the privacy of the participant’s rights and interests should be protected. The findings of the study provide a detailed view of the impact of leadership in the IT industry and the qualities a leader should possess in order to promote effective leadership in this industry. The conclusions drawn from the study can be used by leadership development and organisations can be guided in their efforts in developing responsible and effective leaders.
Timeline and Resourcing of the Research Project
This research takes about 12 weeks. These 12 weeks start with the topic decision and end with the final draft making. In between them developing the aim and objective, discussion regarding literature, writing the review and draft, developing research methodology, and final draft for the study has made. The list of the works and time duration is given below:
This study mostly used secondary data on the impact of leadership in the IT industry. The data are collected from various previous publications regarding the IT industry of the UK. Previous news, articles, journals, government data, etc. are used as the source of data in this study. Mostly indirect cost is used for this study.
Conclusion
Leadership is an essential component of both personal and professional growth. It is the process through which individuals persuade and encourage others to work toward common aims and objectives. Leadership is essential in the UK IT business because it enables individuals and organizations to negotiate complicated issues, overcome hurdles, and flourish.
Leadership is vital because it offers guidance and direction. A leader clarifies the team’s aims and objectives and helps others grasp their vision for the future. A leader establishes the tone for the organization and lays forth a strategy for success. Individuals with good leadership are more likely to work together cohesively and achieve their goals more efficiently and effectively.
Leadership in the UK IT industry is extremely crucial since it promotes the industry’s growth and development. A leader is accountable not just for guiding the team, but also for developing the individuals inside it. Leaders assist their team members in reaching their full potential by giving chances for growth and development (Ciulla & Ciulla, 2020). Leaders may assist their team members gain new skills, knowledge, and experiences through mentorship and coaching, which can benefit both the person and the business as a whole.
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