The Wisdom of the Collective: An Integrated Multi-Level Framework of Shared Leadership in Engineering Management Project Teams

Abstract

Shared leadership is positioned as a promising field of research. In recent years scholarly interest in shared leadership has grown exponentially. However, studies on shared leadership are limited and underdeveloped in the engineering management context. To advance a holistic understanding of shared leadership in engineering management project teams, this study conducted a systematic, integrated review of 256 articles on shared leadership spanning 25 years (1998–2022). By doing so, we present a synthesis of the definitions of shared leadership; an evaluation of its measurement techniques; and an examination of the research designs (e.g. article types, research strategies, research disciplines and sample types) utilized in shared leadership studies. Moreover, we map shared leadership studies onto a multi-level framework that integrates individual-level, team-level, project-level and organizational-level analyses in terms of its antecedents, consequences, mediating mechanisms and boundary conditions. This framework offers a roadmap for future studies to help researchers systematically target opportunities within the field of engineering management. Also, it brings important managerial implications for engineering management project managers and practitioners who seek to implement good practices in organizations.

Keywords:

• Shared leadership
• engineering management
• project team
• literature review
• multi-level

EMJ Focus Areas:

• Engineering Management Profession
• Leadership
• Program & Project Management

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [72172071]; Tsinghua University Initiative Scientific Research Program [2021THZWJC31]; Faculty Research Grants of Macau University of Science and Technology [FRG-24-041-MSB].

Notes on contributors

Qiong Wu

Qiong Wu (PhD) is an Assistant Professor in the School of Business at Macau University of Science and Technology. She received her PhD from the University of Galway, Ireland. She leads research in the field of leadership and project management and collaborates with researchers worldwide. Her scholarly standing is well-recognized among her peers in the scientific community. She has won several best paper awards and has published in high-impact peer-reviewed journals.

Guoquan Chen

Guoquan Chen (PhD) is Henry Kravis Chair Professor in School of Economics and Management at Tsinghua University. He is the pioneer of space-time leadership theory. Guoquan Chen presided over more than ten national research projects, published hundreds of journal papers and many textbooks and monographs. He has been a highly cited scholar of Elsevier China. He has won the Fudan Management Award for Outstanding Contribution and won the title of the young and middle-aged expert with outstanding national contributions.

Kathryn Cormican

Kathryn Cormican (PhD) is a Professor in the School of Engineering at the University of Galway, Ireland. Her work focuses on the design, development, and validation of novel processes and information systems. She is internationally recognized for her contribution to research and has won many prestigious best-paper awards including the European Academy of Management best paper award in 2023. She was awarded Female Entrepreneurial Leader of the Year in 2022 by the Accreditation Council for Entrepreneurial and Engaged Universities.