The Nexus Between Followership and Entrepreneurial Leadership: A Firm-Level Analysis

Abstract

This paper theoretically investigates the unexplored nature of followership in relation to another unexplored area of leadership—entrepreneurial leadership. Although there have been minute writings that have delved into follower styles and an overabundance on leader styles, this paper recognizes the critical role of those who faithfully and earnestly support leadership in the pursuit of novel endeavors. Extracting from the extant literature on entrepreneurial leadership and the salient followership models, the author ascertained a vivid bipartite of the entrepreneurial leadership and follower styles. Followership styles need further integration into the leadership domain. This assertion has been echoed by those in this vineyard. Additionally, a strain of the Austrian School view of entrepreneurship has been injected in this paper because of the fundamental need to describe the actions of those who seek to take risks, deal in uncertainty, and seek opportunity under the auspice of the firm. Followership and entrepreneurial leadership models are interwoven, highlighting the nexus between the two and illuminating potentialities for further investigation and inquiry.