Gen Z concepts of leadership: Formulating archetypes based on inter-relational business, political, and generational characteristics

In a multiyear quantitative data-driven study that focused on the Gen Z demographic in Eastern Europe, the Balkans, and Central Asia, we discovered that a dichotomy in leadership thinking exists. Based on a significant amount of survey data, we found that our population, surprisingly, displayed a definitive propensity towards authoritarian political leadership. We theorize the rationale behind this authoritarian leadership thinking approach as a sincere desire for a developing country?s leadership to produce efficient life-improving results for its population and a continued improvement in regional standing. The thinking suggests that such an authoritarian leader who focuses on their nation?s well-being, at least in theory, gets things done, and improves daily living standards. This has in fact occurred specifically in Russia where GDP has risen significantly over the past 20 plus years and where a large portion of younger Russians have supported their leadership, at least up to the War in Ukraine. We found similar, quantifiable sentiment in our scope of research. However, the concept is reversed when Gen Z considers leadership ideas and concepts related to their own professional work environment; something that will affect them directly. Here young people favor a distinct democratic approach to work life with a leader that exhibits a democratic or laissez faire style of leadership in the workplace and where employees are integrated in corporate decision-making. This duality in thinking is investigated thru direct data research in the region over a multi-year period from 2018-2021. A quantitative relationship archetype model is established that helps the understanding of the interrelated factors that lead Gen Z?ers in this approach to leadership.