ABSTRACT
Cambodia is a nation that has been ravaged by war, both externally generated as a consequence of the Vietnam War and its own Civil War during the Pol Pot regime. In Cambodia, the influence of religion and its turbulent past make this a particularly interesting study of managerial leadership and the implications to management and theory development are discussed. As very few studies have considered dharmic influences on managerial values, the findings from this study will extend the boundaries of current leadership theories. Cambodia is predominantly a Theravada Buddhist nation and researchers have emphasized that religion has the potential to influence behaviour-and at extension, managerial and leadership behaviours. Though Buddhism's root religion is Hinduism, Cambodians found the non-existence of an eternal blissful self or atman in Buddhism appealing. Theravada Buddhism is incorporated into leadership and managerial values. The line of inquiry is also reflected in the GLOBE (Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness) research project.
