Cultural Value Orientations and Leadership Preferences among European University Students: A Cross-National Empirical Analysis
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65222/VIRAL.2025.12.19Keywords:
Abstract
This study examines how cultural value orientations shape leadership preferences among university students across Europe, drawing on a large-scale, multi-country dataset collected over five consecutive academic years. Grounded in cross-cultural management and leadership theory, the research investigates the extent to which cultural norms, societal values, and individual characteristics influence perceptions of effective leadership styles, ethical responsibility, and authority relations. Data were collected using validated psychometric scales and cross-cultural survey instruments and analyzed through hierarchical linear modeling to account for individual- and country-level variation. The results indicate that students from collectivist cultural contexts demonstrate stronger preferences for participative, transformational, and ethically oriented leadership styles, whereas respondents from more individualistic or high uncertainty-avoidance environments tend to favor transactional, performance-driven, and competitive leadership approaches. Additional analyses reveal significant moderating effects of gender, field of study, and socioeconomic background, underscoring the multidimensional nature of leadership perception formation. By providing robust empirical evidence on the cultural embeddedness of leadership preferences, this study contributes to the cross-cultural leadership literature and highlights the importance of culturally responsive leadership education. The findings offer practical implications for leadership development programs, curriculum design, and institutional governance within increasingly internationalized higher education systems.
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