Strategic leadership studies in China: a review and research agenda

Purpose This study aims to review strategic leadership research conducted in the Chinese context and examine how such research incorporates contextual elements and contributes to global management knowledge. Design/methodology/approach Using a micro-foundational approach, the authors analyze 134 strategic leadership studies published between 1985 and 2023 in six leading management journals, including Management and Organization Review and Asia Pacific Journal of Management. The authors develop a hypothesis-level empirical framework, classify studies into nine prototypes based on contextual embeddedness and inductively identify contribution pathways. Findings This review identifies nine prototypes of strategic leadership research in China, reflecting varying degrees of contextual embeddedness. Prototype 9 represents China-endemic research, with the highest integration of Chinese context in both phenomena and theoretical mechanisms. Five pathways through which the Chinese context contributes to global knowledge are identified, along with underexplored areas for future research. Originality/value This study provides a systematic, hypothesis-level synthesis of strategic leadership research in the Chinese context. It highlights the role of China-indigenous perspectives in advancing a more inclusive understanding of strategic leadership and informing future research agendas.