An information-processing perspective on leadership and culture: A case for connectionist architecture

An information-processing model of the relationship between culture and lea dership is developed in the present paper. In contrast to previous work in this area, we propose that a connectionist network is useful for understand ing how culture and leadership affect follower reactions and behaviour. A b rief discussion of connectionist architectures is provided and the overlap between the conceptualisation of schemas within such architectures and curr ent discussions of culture and leadership schemas is noted. The present mod el is flexible enough to account for cognitively efficient processes that o ccur at either a subconscious or conscious level of awareness. Further, the model is able to account for the sensitivity of leadership schemas and cul tural meaning systems to contextual information. Finally, the critical natu re of the self-concept for understanding the process by which culture and l eadership interact to affect follower reactions and behaviour is discussed.