Not all managers in multinational corporations can be exceptional leaders, prompting corporations to equip them with various instruments, methods, and tools to enhance leadership. These tools, derived from functions like human resources and strategic management, form the foundation of leadership systems. A crucial question is how to align these systems with corporate strategy to achieve "leadership excellence." Research from 2003 at Technische Universität München revealed that while many leadership systems are well-aligned with corporate strategy, they often lack strong connections to values, ethics, and social responsibilities. The significant ethical and environmental challenges faced by multinational corporations inspired the author to reexamine leadership systems. He incorporates contemporary management concepts such as corporate social responsibility (CSR) and corporate sustainability, arguing that leadership systems must transcend economic considerations to include social and environmental dimensions. This comprehensive approach is termed a "Responsible Leadership System." In 2007, the author conducted an empirical study called the "CSR Leadership Study," which provides key insights for the current research.
