Guest editorial: Psychobiography, business leadership and the advancement of theory

This introduction presents a comprehensive framework for advancing management theory through the systematic application of psychobiography. It positions the life-history method as a rigorous alternative to traditional quantitative approaches, tracing the evolution of case-study research from its foundational social science roots to contemporary leadership studies. The introduction explains how individual-level data from extraordinary figures can refine existing models and surface novel variables to explain organizational outcomes. By bridging personal development with professional behavior, this approach offers a nuanced, context-sensitive lens for understanding how formative experiences and sociocultural backgrounds drive leadership success and organizational change.The introduction begins by establishing the historical legitimacy of the “sample of one” approach, drawing parallels with landmark studies in psychoanalysis, sociology and neurology. It then delineates the emergence of psychobiography as a specialized methodology that situates personal development within broader sociocultural and historical contexts. While acknowledging that previous psychobiographical scholarship has been heavily concentrated on political figures and Western-centric populations, this work explicitly addresses the current vacuum in business leadership research. By examining the developmental trajectories of influential corporate figures, the articles within this issue demonstrate how formative experiences, such as early-life adversity or cultural displacement, function as independent variables that shape later leadership behaviors through psychological mediators such as resilience and integrity.Furthermore, the text provides a critical reflection on the methodological standards required for high-quality psychobiographical inquiry. It details the challenges of introducing this novel methodology to the management field, including a candid assessment of the common pitfalls found in contemporary submissions, such as the superficial use of secondary data and the uncritical reliance on generative artificial intelligence (AI). The study argues that, for psychobiography to be accepted as a normative tool in the organizational sciences, it must adhere to a disciplined structural framework that links biographical evidence to specific theoretical constructs.Ultimately, this introduction serves as both a theoretical anchor and a methodological guide. It introduces a suite of new constructs – including Silent Leadership and Disability-Linked Ethical Adaptive Leadership – while offering a standardized seven-part research structure designed to ensure analytical rigor and ethical integrity. It makes an argument for a more human-centered approach to organizational science, one that views the personal narrative not merely as a story, but as a primary source for the advancement of management theory.Throughout the history of the social sciences, single-case studies have played a pivotal role in the development of theories (Antunes and Franco, 2016; Farhan, 2024). Classic psychoanalytic cases provide some of the earliest and most influential examples. Sigmund Freud drew upon detailed examinations of individual patients to generate concepts that remain foundational in psychology today, including hysteria and transference (Freud, 1905/1953), phobia (Freud, 1909/1955a, b), childhood sexuality and the Oedipus complex (Freud, 1909/1955a, b) and obsessional neurosis (Freud, 1909/1955a, b). Similarly, behavioral psychology has often drawn on single cases for the purpose of theory-building, as exemplified by Skinner's (1938) work. In sociology, Becker (1963) generalized from deviant life histories to develop labeling theory. In anthropology, Geertz (1973) famously interpreted a single cultural practice to build broader theoretical frameworks. Comparable contributions can be seen in neuropsychology, where Luria (1968) developed insights into memory and cognition from his work with Solomon Shereshevsky, and in neurology, where Sacks's (1985) single-patient case studies advanced understanding of identity and neurological deficits.Beyond individual-focused inquiry, case studies have also been used to analyze the dynamics of teams, groups, communities and organizations (e.g. Glyptis et al., 2021; Peprah et al., 2022; Raitis et al., 2021; Vinokurova and Kapoor, 2020; Young-Hyman, 2023). The methodology itself has been the subject of extensive reflection, with scholars outlining both its advantages and pitfalls (Eisenhardt and Graebner, 2007; Elsherif and Elmeawad, 2024; Flyvbjerg, 2006; Gerring, 2004; Piekkari et al., 2009; Ridder, 2019; Ruddin, 2006; Siggelkow, 2007; Stake, 1995; Thomas, 2011; Yin, 2018). The consistency across these diverse disciplines underscores the enduring value of case-based approaches for generating theory, even while debates about generalizability persist.Building on this tradition of case-based scholarship, psychobiography has emerged as a vibrant and increasingly influential field. Psychobiographical research focuses on the lives of extraordinary individuals, investigating how personal histories, sociocultural contexts and historical circumstances shape behaviors and achievements (Mayer and Kőváry, 2019; Ponterotto, 2019; Van Niekerk, 2021). Over the past decades, psychobiography has gained significant international attention, growing into a recognized area of inquiry across psychology, sociology, and the social sciences more broadly (Kőváry, 2011; Mayer et al., 2025; Schultz, 2005).The central contribution of psychobiography lies in its capacity to provide holistic accounts of individuals' lives. It situates personal experiences within broader sociocultural and historical contexts, thereby deepening our understanding of how extraordinary individuals achieve prominence (Mayer et al., 2021a; Van Niekerk, 2021). This focus on the “extraordinary” has included analyses of personal value systems (Banai and Mayer, 2024a), political leadership styles (Banai and Mayer, 2024b; Mayer et al., 2025; Thomas and Stumpf, 2003), communication and conflict resolution strategies (Banai, 2023) and mentoring abilities and resilience in the face of complex challenges (Pircher-Friedrich, 2007).Psychobiography, however, has not been free from criticism. Most individuals studied to date have been from WEIRD (Western, educated, industrialized, rich and democratic) contexts (Henrich, 2020). While notable exceptions exist (Mayer et al., 2025), scholars have increasingly emphasized the need for interculturally inclusive research that incorporates diverse and non-WEIRD samples (Mayer et al., 2023). This criticism reflects the recognition that leadership and achievement are shaped by cultural, political and economic contexts, and that limiting inquiry to WEIRD populations risks narrowing the field's explanatory power.Much of the existing psychobiographical work has focused on political figures. Political psychobiography explores the life of political leaders within their specific contexts and political spheres (Elms and Song, 2005; Elovitz, 2016). Classic examples include Erikson's (1958) study and Sheng's (2001) work on Mao Zedong. Many political psychobiographies study the lives of American presidents, such as Donald Trump (Banai, 2023; McAdams, 2021) or Joe Biden (McAdams, 2023). Additional research has examined Israeli prime ministers such as Shamir, Peres and Rabin (Aronoff, 2011), Netanyahu (Kimhi, 2001) and Meir (Banai and Mayer, 2024a, b), as well as Russian leaders Stalin, Yeltsin and Putin (Ihanus, 2001). British Prime Minister Tony Blair (Schafer and Walker, 2001), Romanian leader Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej (Toader, 2012), South African leaders Albertina Sisulu (Mayer et al., 2023) and Graça Machel (Mayer, 2024) have also been analyzed through this lens. Recently, Mayer et al. (2025) published a collection of psychobiographies and political leaders from across the world and explored the lives of political leaders in various cultural contexts. These studies reveal how psychobiographical methods can uncover the interplay between individual psychology and broader political transformations.In contrast, psychobiographies of business leaders remain comparatively rare. An intensive review of the literature reveals only a handful of academic works dedicated to this domain, including studies of Ferdinand Karl Piëch (Mayer et al., 2021), Steve Jobs (Ndoro and van Niekerk, 2019) and Motoaki “Yagoo” Tanigo (Wibowo and Milla, 2025). This imbalance is surprising, given the significant influence business leaders exert on organizations, economies and societies at large. Their ability to shape industries, generate innovation and influence global trends suggests that psychobiographical analysis of their lives could yield valuable theoretical and practical insights.The present issue seeks to address this gap by establishing psychobiography as a legitimate and normative tool for studying management and organizational phenomena. In doing so, it follows the intellectual tradition of scholars such as Allport (1937), who argued that the in-depth study of individuals could yield general theories of personality, and Skinner (1956), who advocated for generalizing from individual case studies as a method of theory-building.Applied to management research, psychobiography can illuminate the ways in which business leaders' personal characteristics, family and cultural backgrounds and formative experiences influence their accomplishments. By focusing on leaders who have driven their organizations to extraordinary achievements, psychobiographical analysis contributes to both leadership theory and organizational studies. It enables scholars to interpret not only the personal attributes that underlie leadership success but also the broader contexts – family, culture, economy and society– that shape organizational outcomes.By applying psychobiography to business leaders, this issue seeks to deepen our understanding of how individual life histories intersect with leadership styles, organizational success and cultural contexts. In doing so, it advances management and leadership theory, while also contributing to the broader human project of building a more sustainable and peaceful future.A Call for Papers was issued on the journal's website and through academic associations. As this was one of the first initiatives to advance organization and management theory through single-person case studies, or psycho-biographies, detailed guidelines were provided regarding their nature and structure. It was assumed that contributors would study existing psychobiographies and align their work with the journal's requirements. However, the guidance proved too brief and general, leading to 27 submissions, many of which failed to meet expectations. Following a rigorous double-blind review process, only five papers (an acceptance rate of 18%) were deemed suitable for publication. This outcome highlighted the challenges of introducing a novel methodological approach, underscoring the need for clearer instructions and more explicit standards to guide future submissions.Several recurring shortcomings were identified in the rejected submissions. First, many papers assumed that focusing on a non-WEIRD leader constituted a sufficient theoretical contribution, without offering deeper insights. Second, authors often conflate theory application with theory refinement, explaining leaders' behaviors through existing theories without extending or modifying them. Third, some studies centered on improving the psychobiographical method itself rather than contributing to organization or management theory. Fourth, a number of papers provided only minimal biographical detail, relying heavily on superficial sources such as Wikipedia. Fifth, several lacked clear definitions of variables and did not articulate relationships among them. Sixth, a few included a visual model to support coherence and logical flow. Finally, many confused leaders' individual performance with organizational performance outcomes. Collectively, these issues revealed a limited understanding of methodological rigor and theoretical advancement, which ultimately rendered most submissions unsuitable for publication.The integration of AI into academic research is widely acknowledged as beneficial (Zhang, 2025). First, rather than relying on multiple commercial search platforms to collect secondary data, AI can serve as a single, centralized search tool, potentially rendering other platforms redundant. Second, AI is particularly valuable for scholars whose first language is not English. By assisting with grammar, spelling and stylistic improvements, AI enhances clarity and precision, thereby increasing the likelihood of a paper's acceptance in English-language journals (Del Giglio and Pereira da Costa, 2023). Third, AI-generated data and analyses may stimulate fresh perspectives, encouraging innovative theoretical refinement. Nevertheless, AI's capabilities are inherently constrained by its user: it cannot provide answers to questions that are not posed (Zeiser, 2024).The practical use of AI often falls short of this potential. From the review of papers submitted to this issue, it became evident that many scholars misused AI. Few can explain how AI actually operates, and we readily admit that we also lack complete knowledge. Yet patterns emerged, especially in submissions originating from the same country. These papers displayed remarkably similar structures and repeated mistakes. The likely scenario was that one or two authors entered into AI a copy of the Call for Papers, a brief description of the psychobiographical method, a short biography of the chosen leader and a list of multiple theories (sometimes seven or eight). They then instructed AI to produce a paper analyzing the leader's behaviors. Crucially, these authors did not revise, refine, or critically engage with AI's output. As a result, the system retained the flawed structure in its memory. When other scholars from the same country submitted similar prompts – though with different focal leaders – AI reproduced the earlier patterns, generating nearly identical outputs.This cycle of uncritical reliance led to the submission of papers that were formulaic, poorly constructed and ultimately unpublishable. The episode underscores that while AI can be a powerful tool, its scholarly value depends entirely on informed and critical use. Without active intellectual engagement from researchers, AI becomes a mechanism for replicating errors rather than advancing academic knowledge.The articles included in the special issue collectively advanced leadership and career-development scholarship by refining existing theories, models and classifications through diverse psychobiographies and conceptual lenses. In “Drivers for Stakeholders' Alignment: James Sinegal's Humility, Integrity and Practicality”, Banai (2026) offers one of the first academic examinations of Costco CEO James Sinegal's leadership style and its implications for stakeholder alignment. The article contributes theoretically by demonstrating how a leader's behavioral consistency and moral orientation can structure and mitigate conflicting expectations among diverse stakeholders. Banai identifies trust building, proactive concern management, realistic expectation setting and effective conflict resolution as mechanisms through which Sinegal achieved alignment. The study further proposes that Sinegal's leadership dispositions – humility, integrity and pragmatic judgment – were shaped by his family origins, religious values and influential mentors. 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