Written by an author team from one of Europe´s leading management schools, this is an accessible and comprehensive leadership textbook, designed with post-experience and MBA students in mind. The book combines highly up-to-date research with a wealth of real-world case studies to help readers make the transition from theory to practice. This student-focussed text draws together the latest key insights and research from contemporary academic writers in a way that is both clear and highly engaging. Divided into two main parts, the book guides the reader thematically through the big issues and debates in the field, including the leadership versus management debate, team performance, and the question of whether leaders are born or made. The first part of the book, ´Key themes in leadership´, addresses the core topics which have shaped leadership thinking for academics and practitioners over the last fifty years. While the second part, ´Hot topics in leadership´, is devoted to cutting-edge debates within the field, and issues such as strategic leadership, ethical leadership, and leading change. This clear and logical structure is combined with carefully designed learning features including blog boxes, film and media parallels, and discussion points to develop and support your learning, while the critical approach invites you to exercise your thinking skills and develop your own perspectives on the material presented. The authors draw upon their years´ of academic and business experience to offer an insight into this important and dynamic field; making this text a must read for students concerned with understanding or practicing leadership.

This accessible and comprehensive textbook draws on the reader's own experience of leadership in an employment context. The text adopts a critical and thematic approach to the discussion of core debates and emerging topics, while offering a wealth of case studies and other learning tools to help students put leadership theory into practice.

The authors have an excellent grasp of the issues. The empirical research analysed is up to date and the material is complemented with clear case studies, which offer students the opportunity for critical reflection. Dr Martin McCracken, Senior Lecturer, Department of Management and Leadership, University of Ulster