The article in question deals with the peculiarities of leadership values across generations. The researchers discuss leadership values as they are described in The Aeneid and identified by modern practitioners as well as MBA students. The authors agree that the trait-based approach is relevant in the modern business world and that it is vital to analyze leadership traits that can help organizations develop. It has also been acknowledged that the traits of a successful leader differ in terms of context and time, but the authors note that there can be traits that are timeless.
The researchers used The Aeneid by Virgil to examine historical leadership values by identifying key themes associated with leadership values. A mixed-method research design was utilized. The researchers analyzed the epic poem to identify the most recurrent themes associated with leadership and developed 11 open-ended interview questions. These questions were related to such areas as vision, values-based leadership, and culture. The questions were used to interview 13 executive leaders employed in such fields as business, academia, political, religious, medical, military, and judicial. The executives were also shown a number of cards displaying values including integrity, trust, leadership by example, sense of urgency, humility, decision-making, good judgment, and fairness. In addition, the research included a survey that involved 137 MBA students who were asked to rank the values mentioned above. The students also answered three open-ended questions concerning the most and least important values necessary for efficient leadership.
The results of the study show that the participants put such values as integrity, sense of urgency, and humility to the fore. Importantly, the quantitative and qualitative data show that these three values are regarded as central to the modern concept of leadership. At that, the major emphasis is put on integrity. It is also found that the major differences in the views of MBA students and executives are associated with such domains as trust and integrity. The executives put a higher value on integrity while the MBA students value trust more highly. The authors emphasize that the participants (both students and executives) have similar perspectives regarding the rest of the values.
The researchers conclude that although it has been acknowledged that values differ across generations, there are certain fundamental areas of agreement. These values are highly esteemed by people of different ages, and they can be regarded as universal as they were greatly prized in ancient times. The authors stress that a values-based approach is viable in the modern context. Moreover, the researchers add that the study shows the relevance of classical literature in business education.
The authors also identify some limitations to the study in question. The major limitation is an insufficient sample size (which is comparatively low). The researchers also add that the participants’ perspectives cannot be regarded as representative of the entire population. Furthermore, students from a specific region took part in the survey, which also makes the findings less generalizable and applicable at the nationwide level. The authors note that the use of the epic poem written by a Roman writer may confine the study to the Western perspective. Nonetheless, the authors stress that the study is relevant irrespective of these limitations. The researchers note that they identified fundamental values associated with efficient leadership that can and should be utilized when training modern leaders. The viability of these values is further justified by their use in such a sophisticated entity as the Roman Empire.