Exploring Global Followership Phenomenon in Global Organizational Context: A Study of Global Followers Within Global Technology Companies

Abstract

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of global followers within global technology organizations and how they develop their global followership behaviors. The global followership concept differs from followership in domestic contexts due to the complexities of the global environment, such as the intersection of multiplicity, complexity, ambiguity, and flux influence in the context of global business operations. The present study used three research questions: (1) How do global followers at global technology organizations describe their lived experiences that help them develop global followership behaviors? (2) How do global followers describe how global organizational context plays a role in global followership development processes? (3) How does global followers’ national culture shape their global followership behaviors? Purposeful and snowball sampling strategies were used to recruit the seven participants who agreed to participate in the study and give semi-structured interviews. Data analysis revealed four core themes: 1) following effectively, 2) following globally, 3) developing continuously, and 4) managing challenges. The critical importance of the findings such as adjusting cultural norms, staying up to date, and effectively communicating that influence the ability to engage followers in global leadership processes have shown that global followers are equal contributors to global leadership outcomes within global technology organizations. The findings will help future global followers and global leaders to better contribute to co-construction of global leadership processes in their organizations