Defining self-awareness in the context of adult development: a systematic literature review

Carden, J., Jones, R. J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7329-0502 and Passmore, J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0832-7510 (2022) Defining self-awareness in the context of adult development: a systematic literature review. Journal of Management Education, 46 (1). pp. 140-177. ISSN 1052-5629 doi: 10.1177/1052562921990065

Abstract/Summary

Self-awareness is often seen as a critical component in leadership and career success, and has therefore become a feature in MBAs, leadership development, and management education. It has become a popular “buzzword” in management literature, yet when reviewing this literature, there appears to be no consistent definition of the construct. This article reports a systematic literature review, covering how the construct of self-awareness is defined and how it differs from self-consciousness and self-knowledge within the context of management education. After screening, 31 articles were included in the review, analysis of which identified there is an overlap with how self-awareness, self-consciousness, and self-knowledge are defined. Other themes from our analysis include the identification of the components of self-awareness, how to be self-aware, and the purpose of self-awareness. The contribution of our article is the provision of clarity on the construct of self-awareness and a working definition, which can be used in the fields of leadership and management development by practitioners in education and organizations, and for future research within the context of adult development and the workplace.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://reading-clone.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/96621
Identification Number/DOI	10.1177/1052562921990065
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Henley Business School > Leadership, Organisations, Behaviour and Reputation
Publisher	SAGE
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