Traditional Authority vs. Legacy Leadership: A Comparative Literature Review from the Arab World

The Arab world has developed a distinct leadership system, shaped by its culture, religion, and traditions. This paper examines the dynamic between the traditional authority and the legacy leadership in the Arab world. These two approaches of leadership are analyzed to determine how the tribal, religious and kinship models of the Arab world have influenced the way leadership and governance were carried out in the past. The research will conduct a thematic comparison and contrast of different types of leadership to identify the necessary comparisons and contrasts through a systematic literature review. Results indicate that they share similarities in aspects such as succession and continuity, which are emphasized by both, as well as differences in their focus on innovation and preservation, and on formal and informal legitimacy. The study also aims to add to the knowledge of leadership practices in non-Western cultures.

Traditional Authority, Legacy Leadership, Arab World

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