Following the beaten paths: a systematic literature review of followership behavior
Date
2025
Authors
Kugler, M.
Sims, R.
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Journal article
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Journal of Management Development, online, 2025; online(1):1-15
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Abstract
Purpose: Compared to leadership research, followership is still in its infancy. Both followership and organizational behavior research have been criticized for definitional shortcomings. The aim of this systematic literature review is to examine the use of the term followership behavior and underpinning understandings that shape current followership behavior research in the context of business organizations and provide suggestions for future research.
Design/methodology/approach: A configurative systematic literature review was conducted to explore the understanding of followership behavior since Shamir's call to reverse the lens in 2007.
Findings: Our findings indicate that the term followership behavior is regularly used without providing a definition and a variety of behaviors have been explored as proxies. Followership behavior research is largely leader-centric and concept demarcation from management and employee literature is missing as followership behavior has mainly been explored as part of the employee role. A more nuanced definitional clarification that demarcates employee and followership behavior is necessary to provide foundational conceptual understanding before applying measures. Additionally, a focus on antecedents rather than outcomes of followership behavior became apparent, adding to the notion that followership behavior is explored as an outcome of leadership.
Originality/value: This review is the first to systematically investigate the understanding and use of "followership behavior" in existing research. The findings contribute to a better comprehension of the current approach to followership behavior in research and identify future research areas as well as definitional and methodological suggestions.
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Copyright 2025 Emerald Publishing Limited