Term
Spring 2026
Capstone
Dissertation
Degree Name
EdD
Primary Advisor/Dissertation Chair
Karen Moroz
Abstract
Culturally Anchored Strategic Navigation: The Role of Cultural Identity in the Success of African American Male Executives
This study examined the relationship between cultural identity and leadership success among African American male executives. Contextualized within leadership studies and urban education, the study sought to understand how cultural identity functions as a central and strategic asset in navigating executive leadership environments. Drawing on Social Identity Theory and informed by scholarship on leadership and resilience, this study attempts to deepen understanding of how identity shapes leadership practice, decision-making, and sustained success within predominantly White institutional contexts.
A qualitative research design grounded in Grounded Theory methodology was employed. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with four African American male executives, along with an autoethnographic component incorporating the researcher’s lived experience. Data analysis followed an iterative process of open, axial, and selective coding, using the constant comparative method to identify patterns and relationships. This approach supported the emergence of key themes and the development of a conceptual framework grounded in participant experiences.
Findings indicated that cultural identity functions as an anchoring mechanism that informs leadership behavior, strengthens resilience, and enables strategic navigation within complex organizational systems. Participants described engaging in adaptive practices such as code-switching, relational leadership, and culturally informed decision-making, while also drawing on mentorship, sponsorship, and internal sources of purpose, including faith. These findings informed the novel development of the Culturally Anchored Strategic Navigation framework, which conceptualizes leadership as a dynamic process involving identity anchoring, relational engagement, and strategic navigation.
This study contributes to the literature by positioning cultural identity as a strategic leadership asset and offering a conceptual framework for understanding how African American male executives navigate executive leadership spaces. Implications for practice highlight the need for organizations to recognize and support identity-informed leadership approaches. Implications for research include opportunities to extend and further validate the framework across diverse populations and contexts.
Research Methodology
Ethnography, Grounded Theory, Interview
Recommended Citation
Bass, Anthony, "Resilient Leadership: How Cultural Identity Fuels the Success of Black Male Executives" (2026). School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations. 4638.
https://digitalcommons.hamline.edu/hse_all/4638
dc_type
text
dc_publisher
DigitalCommons@Hamline
dc_format
application/pdf
dc_source
School of Education Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations