Dealing with a New Normal ‘E-leadership’: A Study Using Bibliometric Analysis and Content Analysis

Abstract

The study explores the concept of e-leadership and determines the different dimensions of leadership in the virtual environment. The paradoxes associated with the ‘e-leadership’ are identified. The different trends of research undertaken on the concept of ‘e-leadership’ are analyzed. The study is conducted using bibliometric and content analysis techniques. The Scopus database was used, and VOSviewer version 1.6.17 was used for analyzing the research trends. Three clusters emerged: Virtual leadership and virtual team performance, leadership and technology adoption, and the use of communication strategies in e-leadership. The article discusses different strategies that can lead to effective performance in a virtual environment. Leaders need to be synergistic, tech-savvy, prompt in their feedback, and trained in nonverbal communication strategies. E-leadership should be based on relationship orientation and not task orientation. The article gives possible future research directions by identifying the relationship across several variables like e-leadership, use of information and communication technologies, and effective communication channels.