Embracing emotions: A case study of Latin American paternalistic leadership in a German MNC

Abstract

Leadership studies have predominantly relied on Western-centric concepts and models, often neglecting the particularities of context-specific leadership approaches. This imbalance highlights the need for more contextualised and culturally sensitive research to deepen our understanding of leadership practices in intercultural contexts. Therefore, this study adopts a contextualised and culturally sensitive approach that emphasises specific nuances and variations in paternalistic leadership practices. Building on this perspective, we propose an understanding of Paternalistic Leadership (PL) that goes beyond a simplistic dyad, recognising the cultural specificities that shape a ‘hybrid’ form of PL, characterised by a humanistic and a person-oriented dimension that prioritises building interpersonal relationships and fostering emotional bonds, as found in Latin American societies. We also explore its adoption outside its traditional cultural contexts, particularly in intercultural settings, an area that has rarely been explored in Cross-Cultural Management (CCM) and leadership research. To address this gap, we conducted a qualitative case study with a female leader from Chile and her multicultural team in a German multinational corporation (MNC). Our findings suggest that this ‘hybrid’ form of PL was embraced, as it was both adopted by the leader and accepted by the followers through leadership practices and behaviours characterised by emotional engagement, a balanced approach between control and care, and the leader’s multicultural experiences. Furthermore, we offer insights into how leaders from non-Western cultures navigate leadership in Western MNCs.