ABSTRACT
Leadership is prized both in the world of art and the world of business. But does leadership really refer to the same notion in the two contexts? Is it at all possible to discuss leadership in art and business and find a common ground? This question will be explored in this chapter through a closer look at how leadership is perceived in Art History and Business Studies (Business Administration), but also in Sociology of Art and the growing research area of Entrepreneurship. The specialization of disciplines significantly conditions the framework of research undertaken in diverse disciplines and has a substantial impact on the understanding of leadership in art and business. When discussing leadership in art and business, it is therefore important to recognize the differences in norms and practice in these practice fields as well as in the respective academic fields. Leadership can in general term be described as the function of organizing joint efforts for a specified purpose. In this sense, leadership refers to the function of combining resources and coordinating action towards specific goals, achieving compliance for decisions among contributors to the organized efforts. This chapter will not discuss the possible benefits of artistic expressions for management or leadership practice, nor will it discuss the practice of leadership in the art world, as these are beyond the scope of the chapter.
