Attention! Seeking for an ideal leader : a critical discourse analysis of Finnish job advertisements

Abstract

The objective of this study was to 1) analyze which kind of concepts of an ideal leader are produced in the context of job advertisements and 2) which discourses enable the production of the concepts of an ideal leader. Therefore, my purpose was to provide new knowledge about how an ideal leader is considered in contemporary labor markets and how it is defined in the context of Finnish job advertisements. Leader ideals are an important subject of study, since previous research indicates that they are connected to unequal procedures especially in recruitment processes, which includes job advertisements as well.

In this research I approach leader ideals in the context of job advertisements by using a critical discourse analysis. This study analyzes leader ideals within job advertisements by approaching them as social objects, which are defined and shaped from certain positions, perspectives and desires. Thus, the purpose of this study is to make visible how the concepts of an ideal leader are produced and defined from a certain perspective, excluding possibilities for different kind of concepts of an ideal leader to emerge. The theoretical framework of this study is produced around three different dimensions: ideals as a research phenomenon, job advertisements as the site of ideals and an ideal leader in the context of job advertisements. These three dimensions define the research phenomenon and context as well as how an ideal leader is understood in this research context. The research material of this study is gathered from online job advertisements from three Finnish well-known online recruitment sites: Duunitori (www.duunitori.fi), Oikotie (www.tyopaikat.oikotie.fi/tyopaikat) and Jobly (www.jobly.fi).

Analysis of the first research question provided three concepts of an ideal leader: inspirational innovator, efficient high-flyer and collaborative influencer. Analysis of the second research question provided three discourses which enable the production of the concepts of an ideal leader: the individual discourse, discourse of constant motion and utility discourse. Results of the study implies that the concepts of an ideal leader include certain desired qualities, skills and behavior which are produced in relation to certain discourses. This study suggests that the potential impact of found concepts of an ideal leader to recruitment processes should be further investigated.