Organization and Strategy Seminar（2015-03）

Topic：The Shadow of the Prince: Power, Paradox, and Leadership

Speaker: Xu Huang , Hong Kong Baptist University

Time: Friday,16 October, 10:00 – 11:30 am

Location: Room 213, Guanghua Building 2

Abstract:

Compared to political leaders in a democratic society, leaders in business organizations (especially in family firms) often possess almost absolute power and control over their subordinates. The findings of a series of our studies on petty tyranny in organizations suggest that absolute power not only corrupts leaders absolutely, but also confuses them, and triggers paradoxical leadership behavior. My talk will cove six specific research topics: (1) The causes of abusive supervision and its unexpected consequences on employees; (2) The ripple effect of abusive supervision: The activated “evil pleasure” of observers; (3). The Janus face of leaders: The effect of leaders’ inconsistent behaviors; (4) Back stabbers and guardian angels: Leaders’ paradoxical reactions to employees’ proactive behaviors; (5) The shadow of the prince: A psychoanalytical theory of power transfer in patriarchal organizations; and (6) Instrumental love: Political marriage and firm performance.

Bio:

Xu Huang received his PhD from the University of Groningen (the Netherlands), MA from Lancaster University (UK), and Honors Diploma from Lingnan University (Hong Kong). Currently, he is a Professor at the Department of Management, Hong Kong Baptist University. Before joining Hong Kong Baptist University, he was a Professor of Management at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Since 2010, he has served as an Adjunct Professor in the Centre for Work, Organization and Wellbeing, Griffith University. He has also been appointed as a Visiting Chair Professor in Shanghai University of Finance and Economics since 2012.

Professor Huang's research interests include leadership, power, proactive and abnormal work behaviors, employee well-being, cross-cultural psychology, and management issues in China. He has published more than 50 papers in international journals includingAcademy of Management Journal, Journal of Applied Psychology, Journal of International Business Studies, Journal of Management, Leadership Quarterly, Journal of Organizational Behavior, Human Relationsand so forth.

Professor Huang has been active in international and regional research communities. He is the Senior Editor of the Asia Pacific Journal of Management, and a member of editorial board for Management and Organization Review and Human Relations. Also, he is now a board member of International Association of Chinese Management Research (IACMR) and is one of the co-chairs of the IACMR research committee.

Your participation is warmly welcomed!