Benevolent Leadership— Ayman and Chemers (1983) found evidence for a Benevolent
Paternalistic leadership dimension in Iran which has been corroborated in other Asian cultures.
Different from power, this dimension derives from Confucianism within Asian cultures and
reflects a patriarchal model of governing social order and leadership by emphasizing virtuous
living, extolling the ideal of the (male) scholar-leader and his benevolent rule within a tradition
of filial piety. It reflects the willingness of the leader to be benevolent toward his followers and
allowing them to emerge; it contrasts with the notion of followers needing to seize power and
authority. The notion of benevolent authority has not been incorporated in current theories of
leadership, which tend to reflect North American and western biases