PhD Defence Begüm Bilgin
In her dissertation, "Visionary Leadership and the Pursuit of Organizational Visions", ERIM's Begüm Bilgin delved into an exploration of factors influencing the subjective legitimacy of visionary leadership’s persuasive appeal. Visionary leadership, defined as the verbal communication of a future collective image to inspire contributions to its realization, stands out for its direct focus on this aspect of leadership effectiveness. Researching current literature, Begüm found a grey area in understanding attributes associated with vision that can shape the subjective legitimacy of the persuasive appeal in vision communication, thereby moderating the effectiveness of visionary leadership. Chapter 2 highlights that leaders in lower organizational positions can hinder leadership effectiveness. Chapter 3 discusses how misalignment in communication about the vision can negatively affect both individuals and the organization. Chapter 4 demonstrates that clear and vivid communication of visions, along with adequate organizational resources, can enhance the pursuit of these visions. Overall, this dissertation has shed light on factors that influence visionary leadership, contributing to a better understanding of its impact on individual, team, and organizational outcomes.
Begüm defended her dissertation in the Senate Hall at Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) on Thursday, 6 June at 13:00. Her supervisors were prof.dr. Inga Hoever (EUR) and prof.dr. Daan van Knippenberg (EUR). Other members of the Doctoral Committee were prof.dr. Daan Stam (EUR), dr. Anne Nederveen Pieterse (EUR), prof.dr. Eric Kearney (University of Potsdam), prof.dr. Hannes Leroy (EUR), and prof.dr. Annebel de Hoogh (University of Amsterdam).
About Begüm Bilgin
Begüm Bilgin is an organizational psychologist and an Assistant Professor of Organizational Behavior at the University of Liverpool Management School. She received her doctoral degree from the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University, and was a visiting PhD candidate at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Prior to joining the doctoral program, she was a research assistant at Yale University, an experience that solidified her commitment to pursuing research as a long-term career.
Begüm's research focuses on the intersection of leadership, emotions at work, and diversity. Her work has been published in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin and is under review at Administrative Science Quarterly and the Journal of Applied Psychology. She is also finalizing her most recent studies for submission to journals such as Organization Science and Academy of Management Journal.
Thesis Abstract
Prominent organizational achievements are often attributed to leaders who articulate a compelling future vision, as seen with figures like Bill Gates and John F. Kennedy. Visionary leadership, defined as the verbal communication of a future collective image to inspire contributions to its realization, stands out for its direct focus on this aspect of leadership effectiveness. Robust evidence highlights the significant role of leaders’ vision communication in shaping individual employee states, behavior, and organizational performance. However, there is a lack of understanding regarding attributes associated with vision that can shape the subjective legitimacy of the persuasive appeal in vision communication, thereby moderating the effectiveness of visionary leadership. To address this aspect, this dissertation delves into an exploration of factors influencing the subjective legitimacy of visionary leadership’s persuasive appeal across three empirical chapters.
In Chapter 2, Begüm demonstrates how the effectiveness of visionary leadership is negatively influenced when exhibited by leaders holding lower positions within the organizational hierarchy. In Chapter 3, she shows that misalignment between external and internal communications of the vision can result in negative consequences for individual and organizational outcomes. In Chapter 4, she demonstrates that communication of vivid visions combined with organizational resources dedicated to vision pursuit can significantly enhance the pursuit of the vision. By examining these factors, this dissertation aims to provide insights into the factors influencing the effectiveness of visionary leadership, contributing to a better understanding of its impact on individual, team, and organizational outcomes.
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Photos: Rick Keus / Rick Keus Fotografie
