Leadership in a Globalizing World

By: Rosabeth Moss Kanter

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Synopsis: In this chapter, world-renowned business expert, author, and Harvard Business School professor Rosabeth Moss Kanter asks the question, "Is leadership different in a globalizing world-one of broadening horizons and burgeoning sources of ideas and supplies-than in other contexts?" The answer is a resounding yes. Kanter identifies three aspects of globalization-increased uncertainty, complexity, and diversity-that fundamentally reshape the work leaders must perform. Based on field observations of leaders in large global firms, she finds that these forces shape the context of three distinctive tasks leaders face as they guide their organizations and influence the constituencies that surround them: 1) institutional work to deal with uncertainty, 2) integrative work to deal with complexity, and 3) identity work to deal with diversity. With compelling examples of global leadership within international companies such as IBM, Cemex, Procter & Gamble, and Paris-based advertising and communications giant Publicis Groupe, Kanter builds a strong case for making these organizations and their leaders the focus of further research and study. This chapter was originally published as Chapter 20 of "Handbook of Leadership Theory and Practice: A Harvard Business School Centennial Colloquium."