Women Leadership Pattern in Qatar and Their Impact on Promoting a Culture of ‎Creativity and Innovation

Amany Matar S A Al-Shammari

doi:10.35516/Hum.2025.8517

Authors

Amany Matar S A Al-Shammari Faculty of Management and Economics, University of Qatar, Qatar https://orcid.org/0009-0005-5336-8364

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.35516/Hum.2025.8517

Keywords:

Leadership styles‎, feminine leadership‎, democratic style‎, transformational leadership‎, creativity‎, empathy‎, participation, ‎, patience.‎

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to identify the prevalent leadership styles among women in Qatar and their impact on fostering a culture of creativity and innovation.

Methods: The study employed a descriptive survey method using a carefully developed and validated questionnaire. The research sample comprised a targeted group of 200 female state employees from the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, Qatar University, the Ministry of Endowments, the Tax Authority, the Charitable Works Authority, and the Ministry of Commerce. The questionnaire was electronically distributed to the official email addresses of state employees from the aforementioned entities, and a total of 106 responses were received, representing a response rate of 56%. These responses provided valuable and diverse data for analysis.

Results: The findings revealed that the predominant leadership style among women is democratic, followed by transformational. A statistically significant positive relationship was found between the characteristics of female leadership and the democratic style. Traits such as participation, creativity, and empathy are notably higher in both democratic and transformational leadership styles, in contrast to the authoritarian style. The study also found that the democratic leadership style enhances creativity, indicating a strong positive relationship between the two variables. Similarly, the transformational leadership style also fosters creativity, with a strong positive correlation between the variables.

Conclusions: The study recommended encouraging female leaders to adopt democratic and transformational styles in the workplace. Additionally, it emphasized the importance of education and awareness in empowering women in leadership roles through support, guidance, and specialized training programs aimed at developing their leadership and technical skills.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Abdel Baqi, H., and Abdel Aziz, A. (2018). The Role of Administrative Leadership in Developing and Enhancing ‎Administrative Creativity in the Institution. Economic Notebooks Journal, 9(16), 265-279.‎

Akor, P. U. (2014). Influence of autocratic leadership style on the job performance of academic librarians in Benue ‎State. Journal of Educational and Social Research. https://doi.org/10.5901/jesr.2014.v4n7p148‎

Al Ansari, B. H. (2022). "The Glass Ceiling" and Empowerment of Qatari Women for Employment in Qatar. Journal of ‎Arts, Literature, Humanities and Social Sciences, 83.‎

Al-Ali, A. (2019). Women and Administrative Leadership Styles. Journal of Commerce and Finance, Faculty of ‎Commerce, Tanta University, Egypt.‎

Al-Athem, M. (2023). Creative Leadership Among Principals of Public Secondary Schools in Buraidah from the ‎Teachers' Perspectives. Qassim University, Saudi Arabia.‎

Al-Douri, A. (2003). Subordinates' Attitudes Toward Female Leadership: A Field Study. Al Al-Bayt University, Insaniyat, ‎‎22.‎

Al-Dulaimi, M. (2016). Characteristics of Feminine Leadership and Their Impact on Developing Psychological Capital: ‎Testing the Moderating Role of Expertise Power: An Analytical Study from the Perspective of Subordinates in ‎Private Education Schools in Amman. Master's Thesis, Business College, Middle East University.‎

Al-Ghanim, A. (2007). Obstacles to Women Holding Leadership Positions in Qatari Society: A Field Study. Qatar ‎University.‎

Al-Hairy, Sarah, Al-Qahtani, Manar, Al-Abalani, Maram, Ibn Shahbel, Salwa bint Hamad bin Abdullah, and Al-Shehri, ‎Fatima bint Mohammed. (2020). Administrative Empowerment and Its Relationship with Creativity among Female ‎Leaders in the Ministry of Education in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Journal of Young Researchers in Educational ‎Sciences, 5, 546-578.‎

Al-Hasban, K. (2021). The Role of Women in Leading Change. Journal of Economic, Administrative and Legal ‎Sciences, 5(25), 124-135.‎

Al-Jawahrah, Y., Al-Marri, & Al-Daiya S. (2021). The Impact of Creative Leadership on Crisis Management in Public ‎Institutions in Qatar. Journal of Al-Hussein Bin Talal for Research, 7(2), 310-336.‎

Al-Maliki, A. (2022). Leadership Styles and Their Relationship with Creative Leadership of Secondary School Leaders ‎from the Teachers' Perspectives. University of Bisha, College of Education, Educational Leadership Department, ‎Saudi Arabia.‎

Al-Maoushi, A. (2014). The Leadership Style of Arab Women in Senior Positions: A Field Study. Lebanon: Afkar ‎Printing and Publishing House.‎

Al-Mulhim, Y., & Ibrahim A. (2011). Practices of Female Leaders in Creative Skills: Reality and Importance: A Field ‎Study on Female Leaders in the General Administration of Education in Al-Ahsa Governorate. Unpublished ‎Master's Thesis, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa.‎

Alobaiadan, A., & Hashim, H. (2020). The reality of the application of transformational leadership among educational ‎supervisors: Descriptive and analytical study. Journal of Educational, and psychological sciences, 11(4), 67-80.‎

Al-Qabbaj, S., & Shalabi, Y. (2023). The Mediating Role of Creative Climate in the Relationship Between Leadership ‎Styles (Transformational and Transactional) and Administrative Creativity. Public Administration Department, ‎Palestine Technical University - Kadoorie, Palestine.‎

Al-Rafou, M., & Al-Saud, S. (2017). The Reality of Creativity Among Female Leaders in the Jordanian Ministry of ‎Education and Its Relationship with Some Variables. Jordanian Educational Journal, 2(1), 149-178.‎

Al-Rousan, N. (2015). The Strategic Impact of Transformational Leadership on Administrative Creativity and Job ‎Satisfaction - Applied to Female Leaders in Education in Irbid Governorate. Unpublished PhD Thesis, Omdurman ‎University, Al-Salamiyah, Omdurman, Sudan.‎

Al-Shahwani, A. (2023). The Role of Leadership in Stimulating the Creative Role of Employees. Qatar University, ‎College of Business and Economics.‎

Al-Shdaifat, M. (2021). The Impact of Leadership Styles on Administrative Creativity: An Applied Study of the Opinions ‎of Secondary School Principals in the Kasbah Mafraq Education Directorate. Journal of Humanities and Natural ‎Sciences, 2(10), 232-247.‎

Al-Sirfi, M. (2006). Administrative and Creative Leadership. Cairo, Egypt: Dar Al-Fikr Al-Arabi.‎

Al-Tuwaisi, M., &Bani Hamdan, T. (2020). The Impact of Leadership Styles on Job Creativity: An Applied Study in the ‎Ministry of Youth in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. (Unpublished Master's Thesis), Arab University of Amman, ‎Amman.‎

Amoumen, R., and Ben Zahiya, M. (2014). The Relationship of Leadership Styles to the Level of Administrative ‎Creativity and Organizational Development in University Institutions - A Study Based on the Blake and Mouton ‎Managerial Grid Model. (Unpublished PhD Thesis, Kasdi Merbah University, Ouargla.‎

Avolio, B. J. (2015). Full Leadership Development: Building the Vital Forces in Organizations. Thousand Oaks, CA: ‎Sage. ‎

Avolio, B. J., & Yammarino, F. J. (Eds.). (2013). Transformational and charismatic leadership: The road ahead. Emerald ‎Group Publishing. ‎

Bass, B. M. (2015). Bass & Stogdills Handbook of Leadership: Theory, Research and Managerial Application. (3rd ed.). ‎New York: The Free Press.‎

Beidoun, S. (2003). Female Leadership and Creativity: The Case of NGOs in Lebanon. Arab Future, 26(262), 57-77.‎

Bespinar, F. U. (2013). Women, leadership, and mosques: changes in contemporary Islamic Authority. The International ‎Journal of Turkish Studies, 19, 231. https://www.questia.com/library/journal/1P3-3248973241/women-leadership-‎and-mosques-changes-in-contemporary ‎

Bilal, A. (2019). Transformational leadership and innovative work behavior. Academy of Management Proceedings,(1), ‎‎11866. https://doi.org/10.5465/ambpp.2019.11866abstract

Bouattit, J., & Bouattit, F. (2019). Administrative Creativity: Its Characteristics and Elements, and the Role of ‎Administrative Leadership in Developing It Among Employees. Al-Takamul Journal, 5, 195-209.‎

Bougranos, H., & Touatate, N. (2021). The Relationship Between Feminine Leadership and Administrative Creativity ‎Among Employees in Public Institutions. Master's Thesis, University of Larbi Ben M'hidi, Oum El Bouaghi.‎

Boujaadar, K., & Derboush, S. (2013). The Impact of Leadership Styles on Developing Creativity Among Human ‎Resources: A Field Study on a Sample of Private Industrial Institutions in Constantine Province. Journal of Human ‎Sciences, 32, 181-199.‎

Bouqendoura, Y., & Mouzawi, A. (2017). The Role of Feminine Leadership in Achieving Job Commitment: A Field ‎Study at Oum El Bouaghi University. (Master's Thesis, University of Larbi Ben M'hidi, Oum El Bouaghi.‎

contribute to successful female leadership in secondary education (Order No. 3615852). Available from ProQuest ‎Dissertations & Theses Global. (1525824701).‎

Eagly, A.H., & Carli, L. (2003). The female leadership advantage: An evaluation of the evidence. The Leadership ‎Quarterly, 14(6), 807-834.‎

Freiwan, S. (2022). The Degree of Practicing Creative Educational Leadership Among Principals of Public Elementary ‎Schools from the Teachers' Perspectives in the Bani Kenanah District. College of Education, Accredited by the ‎National Authority for Quality Assurance of Education: Research and Scientific Publication Department (Scientific ‎Journal), Irbid, Jordan.‎

Gharbi, K. (2016). The Relationship Between Female Leadership Styles and Decision-Making Effectiveness from the ‎Subordinates' Perspective: Case Study of the Public Hospital Institution in Ras El Oued, Bordj Bou Arreridj. ‎‎(Master's Thesis)s, Mohamed Boudiaf University, Bordj Bou Arreridj.‎

Ghayat, H. (2013). Role Conflict Among Working Women in Leadership Positions. Journal of Humanities and Social ‎Sciences, Kasdi Merbah University, Ouargla, Algeria, 11, 109.‎

Ghofaily, L. (2019). Women Leadership in Higher Education in Saudi Arabia. International Journal of Social Sciences, ‎‎8(2), 14-32.‎

Halasa, F. (2016). The Reality of Administrative Women's Leadership Roles within Algerian Organizations: A Field Study ‎of a Group of Institutions in Biskra Province (Educational-Commercial). Mohamed Khider University, Biskra.‎

Hussein, M. (2011). The Traits and Skills That Distinguish Jordanian Female Leaders and the Challenges They Face. ‎Faculty of Educational Administration, Al-Balqa Applied University, Jordan.‎

Ibn Murdah, S., & Al-Marjahi, D. (2006). The Relationship Between Leadership Behavior and Administrative Creativity ‎Among Subordinates: A Field Study on Female Employees at King Abdulaziz University. (Unpublished Master's ‎Thesis=, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah.‎

Khalil, S. (2020). Transformational Leadership among Women and Its Impact on Administrative Creativity: A Field ‎Study on the Banking Sector. The Scientific Journal of Commercial and Environmental Studies, 11(4), 1310-1325.‎

Khan, M. A., Ismail, F. B., Hussain, A., & Alghazali, B. (2020). The Interplay of Leadership Styles, Innovative Work ‎Behavior, Organizational Culture, and Organizational Citizenship Behavior. SAGE Open, 10(1), 1–16. ‎

Lari, N. A. (2019). QATARI FEMALE MANAGERS IN A WORLD OF PATRIARCHY. Humanities & Social Sciences ‎Reviews, 7(5), 215–225.‎

Makhlouf, E. (2020). Administrative Empowerment of Female Leaders at Jazan University: A Field Study. Comparative ‎Education and Educational Administration Department, Faculty of Education, Suez University, Egypt.‎

Mehdi, A. (2021). Feminine Leadership and Its Relationship with Job Satisfaction: A Field Study at the Faculty of ‎Humanities and Social Sciences at M’sila University. Unpublished Master’s Thesis, Mohamed Boudiaf University – ‎M’sila.‎

Metwally, S., and Saleh, Al-Bakri, O. (2021). Women's Leadership Styles and Their Relationship with Crisis Management ‎as an Approach to Sustainable Development. Journal of Research in Specific Education Fields, 33, 1-99.‎

Miller, K. B. (2015). The relationship between emotional intelligence behaviors and leadership practices among women, ‎leaders in Education and Business Organizations. Degree Doctor of Philosophy. ‎

Mohammed, O. (2020). The Impact of Administrative Leadership on Administrative Creativity. Ramah Journal for ‎Research and Studies, 47, 207-232.‎

Mügge, L. (2014). Why aren’t they there? The political representation of women, ethnic groups and issue positions in ‎legislatures. Parliamentary Affairs, 67(4), 995–998. https://doi.org/10.1093/pa/gsu004‎

Nguyen, T. T., Mia, L., Winata, L., & Chong, V. K. (2017). Effect of transformational-leadership style and management ‎control system on managerial performance. Journal of Business Research, 70, 202–‎‎213. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2016.08.018 ‎

Oo, B. L., Lim, T. H. B., & Zhang, Y. (2021). Women Workforce in Construction during the COVID-19 Pandemic: ‎Challenges and Strategies. Construction Economics and Building, 21(4). https://doi.org/10.5130/ajceb.v21i4.7643‎

Ragheb, A., Ahmed, M., and Al-Douaihi, M. (2022). Creative Leadership Skills and Their Relationship to Empowering ‎Kuwaiti Women Economically, Socially, and Professionally. Journal of Research in Specific Education Fields, 38, ‎‎643-722.‎

Rosener, J. B. (1990). Ways women lead. Harvard Business Review, 68(6), 119-125. 4.‎

Rosener, J.B. (1995). America’s competitive secret: Women managers. Harvard Business Review, 73(6), 57-63.‎

Rouleau-Carroll, L. K. (2014). Attributes and characteristics that contribute to successful female leadership in ‎secondary education (Doctoral dissertation, Drake University).‎

Samira, H. (2015). Working Women and Leadership Positions: A Study on the Glass Ceiling Phenomenon. Biskra ‎University - Algeria.‎

Schuh, S., Van Quaquebeke, N., Hossiep, R., Frieg, P., & Dick, R. (2014). Gender Differences in Leadership Role ‎Occupancy: The Mediating Role of Power Motivation. Journal Of Business Ethics, 120(3), 363- 379. ‎doi:10.1007/s10551-013-1663-9.‎

Shabaan, M., and Al-Adaileh, O. (2020). The Impact of Leadership Styles in Promoting a Quality Culture: Creativity ‎and Innovation as Mediating Variables in Institutions Awarded the King Abdullah II Award for Excellence in ‎Jordan. Unpublished PhD Thesis, Mutah University, Mutah.‎

Sharma, L. J. K., & Singh, S. K. (2013). A study on the democratic style of leadership. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ‎MANAGEMENT & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, 3(2), 54–57. https://doi.org/10.24297/ijmit.v3i2.1367 ‎

Vasavada, T. (2012). A cultural feminist perspective on leadership in nonprofit organizations: a case of women leaders ‎in India. Public Administration Quarterly, 36(4), 462-503.‎

Yadav, V., & Unni, J. (2016). Women entrepreneurship: research review and future directions. Journal of Global ‎Entrepreneurship Research, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40497-016-0055-x

Yamina, L, Kalthoum, and Smoudi. (2023). Feminine Leadership and Its Impact on Employees in Educational ‎Institutions: A Field Study in Adrar Primary School. Ahmed Draia University, Adrar, Faculty of Humanities and ‎Social Sciences and Islamic Sciences, Social Sciences Department.‎

Yousefy, A., & Baratali, M. (2011). Women, Employment and Higher education schoolings. Procedia - Social and ‎Behavioral Sciences, 15, 3861–3869. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.04.386‎

Yukl, G. (2012). Effective leadership behavior: What we know and what questions need more attention. Academy of ‎Management Perspectives, 26(4), 66-85. 7.‎

Zelmat, G. (2020). Women in Leadership Positions: Obstacles and Challenges. Social Studies, 10, 1, 33-50.‎