For many years, traditional approaches to the study of leadership have reflected three common assumptions: First, leadership is a property of the leaders; second, there is a clear distinction between leaders and followers; and third, leadership is associated with a position in some traditional or formal hierarchy. It is only in the last decade or so that new approaches have started to emerge with the purpose of replacing the dominant leader-centered approach to studying, developing and practicing leadership. In addition, there is a growing recognition in the field of leadership studies that the context of leadership has changed and today's leaders face new challenges that necessitate changes in the ways leadership is performed. This four-volume major work for the first time brings together the key literature charting these developments - including theoretical perspectives, studies and research methods which represent new approaches - as well as providing an overview of the emerging, promising trends in the field of leadership studies. Volume 1: Collective Leadership Volume 2: Leadership in Emerging Contexts: Complexity, Virtuality, and Intergroup Situations Volume 3: Leadership in Social Networks Volume 4: Other Emerging Issues: The Role of Followers in the Leadership Process, the Relational Social Constructionist Approach, and the Neuroscience Approach to Leadership

The majority of leadership theories and studies have tended to emphasize the personal background, personality traits, perceptions, and actions of leaders. From this perspective, the followers have been viewed as recipients or moderators of the leader's influence, and as vehicles for the actualization of the leader's vision, mission or goals. One of the major challengers of this dominant view was the late James R. Meindl. As an alternative to the leader-centric perspective on leadership, Meindl offered a follower-centric approach that views both leadership and its consequences as largely constructed by followers and hence influenced by followers' cognitive processes and inter-follower social influence processes. As a tribute to Jim Meindl and his contributions to the field of leadership studies, Information Age Publishing is releasing a book on follower-centered approaches to leadership. The book covers a wide variety of perspectives that acknowledge the active roles of followers in the leadership process. These include the psychoanalytical perspective, leadership categorization theory, social identity theory, the shared leadership approach, attribution of charisma through social networks, the role of the media in constructing images of the leader, the social construction of followership, vision implementation by followers and a post modern approach to followership. It is hoped that the volume will provoke readers to reflect upon and extend Jim Meindl's seminal work on followership.

The majority of leadership theories and studies have tended to emphasize the personal background, personality traits, perceptions, and actions of leaders. From this perspective, the followers have been viewed as recipients or moderators of the leader's influence, and as vehicles for the actualization of the leader's vision, mission or goals. One of the major challengers of this dominant view was the late James R. Meindl. As an alternative to the leader-centric perspective on leadership, Meindl offered a follower-centric approach that views both leadership and its consequences as largely constructed by followers and hence influenced by followers' cognitive processes and inter-follower social influence processes. As a tribute to Jim Meindl and his contributions to the field of leadership studies, Information Age Publishing is releasing a book on follower-centered approaches to leadership. The book covers a wide variety of perspectives that acknowledge the active roles of followers in the leadership process. These include the psychoanalytical perspective, leadership categorization theory, social identity theory, the shared leadership approach, attribution of charisma through social networks, the role of the media in constructing images of the leader, the social construction of followership, vision implementation by followers and a post modern approach to followership. It is hoped that the volume will provoke readers to reflect upon and extend Jim Meindl's seminal work on followership.