Developing next-generation transformational leaders

Student sensemaking in leadership and change management through reflective inquiry

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.32674/zsb1h380

Keywords:

Transformational leadership, leadership development, reflective inquiry, student sensemaking, leadership education, global business education

Abstract

This study explores how students construct their understanding of transformational leadership through reflective inquiry in a leadership and change management in a global business course within an international business program in Thailand. Drawing on 120 reflective journals, the study examines how students interpreted lessons from 25 transformation leaders in Thailand and applied leadership and change theories to make sense of leadership in culturally situated contexts. Using theory-informed thematic analysis and a transformational leadership capability framework, the study traces shifts in students’ conceptions of leadership over time. The findings show movement from leader-centric and performance-focused assumptions toward more relational, ethical, and adaptive understandings of leadership, highlighting trust-building, culturally responsive communication, and inclusive change practices. The study contributes by demonstrating how reflective inquiry grounded in locally embedded leadership examples can support contextually grounded leadership learning in internationalized classrooms while promoting equity, belonging, and global engagement in global business and higher education contexts.

Author Biographies

  • Dr. Wallapa Suengkamolpisut, Mahidol University International College

    Wallapa Suengkamolpisut, DBA, is a Lecturer in International Business at Mahidol University International College, Mahidol University, Thailand. She earned her Doctor of Business Administration from the University of Bradford, UK, an MSc in Leadership & International Management from the University of Kalmar, Sweden, and a Master of Management in Human Resource Management from Mahidol University, Thailand. With over 20 years of experience in strategic HRM, she has held senior corporate roles and served as an advisor and consultant. Her teaching covers Management, Strategic HRM, and Leadership & Change Management in Global business, with a particular emphasis on blended learning and innovative education pedagogies. Her research focuses on strategic HRM, employee well-being, sustainability leadership, and the role of experiential and blended global learning in shaping leadership identity and intercultural competence.

  • Dr. Saifon Singhatong, Mahidol University International College

    Saifon Singhatong, PhD, is a Lecturer in International Business at Mahidol University International College, Mahidol University, Thailand. She holds a PhD in Business Administration from Chiang Mai University, an MA in Organization Development, and a BBA in International Business Management from Assumption University. Her research focuses on cross-cultural management, mindfulness in the workplace, and adaptive performance, with a strong interest in how cultural diversity shapes international education and teamwork. She has coordinated international collaboration projects and contributed to curriculum development and AACSB accreditation.

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2026-05-28

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Vol. 16 No. 12 (2026): Journal of International Students

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Suengkamolpisut, W., & Singhatong, S. (2026). Developing next-generation transformational leaders: Student sensemaking in leadership and change management through reflective inquiry. Journal of International Students, 16(12), 273-304. https://doi.org/10.32674/zsb1h380