Abstract:

This developmental paper examines how leadership styles shape business success in women-led SMEs in Saudi Arabia. Situated within the socio-economic transformation associated with Vision 2030, the study addresses limited qualitative research on how women entrepreneurs enact leadership and how these practices influence performance and sustainability. Adopting an interpretivist qualitative design, the research draws on semi-structured interviews with women entrepreneurs and employees across multiple Saudi regions. Preliminary analysis highlights the significance of relational and participative leadership practices, adaptive decision-making, and sensitivity to socio-cultural and institutional contexts. Findings suggest that leadership effectiveness is closely linked to contextual awareness and broader understandings of success beyond financial performance. As a developmental study, the paper offers early insights into women’s entrepreneurial leadership and lays the groundwork for further analysis of leadership and business sustainability within the Saudi SME context.

Please choose your submission type: Developmental Paper

Primary Track: Leadership and Leadership Development

Keywords: Women and leadership;Transformational leadership in organisations;Entrepreneurial leadership;Cross-cultural studies of leadership;Emerging leadership theories

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Prof Louisa Huxtable-Thomas