East meets west: A comparative analysis of leadership styles in Canadian and Japanese wine industries

Due to the ever-evolving markets, conventional organisations are required to be more embracing of the constantly changing facets of the environment in which they operate, and therefore they need to be highly adaptable if they are to keep abreast. This study sought to determine the leadership styles that prevail in companies in the wine industry in Canada and Japan, and how these leadership styles affect the overall organisational effectiveness. A qualitative research approach was followed. Individuals from Canada and Japan (N= 11) were video interviewed to create an innovative web-hosted collection of multimedia cases. The interviews were semi-structured in nature and were conducted in the mothertongue of the participants. The captured data were transcribed and verified with the participants to ensure accuracy and scientific rigour. This study uncovered autonomy and delegation, empowering, casual, inclusive, collaborative, passionate and driven, as well as goal-oriented, as the largely prevailing leadership approaches that ensure organisational soundness in Canada and Japan. Other sub-themes that emerged to lesser extents were also noted in this paper.