Examining Research Trends in Management Decision Making: Leadership, Power and Politics

Abstract

Applied management literature is broad in scope, encompassing wide-ranging topics, theories, and concepts. As the study and field of management continues its evolution, so too does the body of knowledge pertaining to organizational theories and management concepts. An examination of articles published from 2002 to 2006 revealed patterns and trends in research focusing on applied decision making, leadership, power, and politics within the field of management. This paper discusses the following keywords and phrases used in the literature review:  “decision making,”  “leadership,” “politics,” “power and management,” and “social power.”  Additionally, the review focuses on the theme of decision making and observes several emerging research trends in applied management theory.