Master Thesis The use of language as an influencing tool in leadership: a way of understanding Brexit Author: Jorge Ernesto Arango Terán, Pearl Bitanihirwe and Diego Emilio Arango Terán Supervisor: Mikael Lundgren Examiner: Lars Lindkvist Term: VT20 Subject: Business Administration with Specialization in Leadership and Management Level: Master’s degree Course code: 4FE41E Abstract New nationalist ideologies have permeated politics for the last decade. New leaders, followers, and conducive environments have emerged to cause the most controversial and unique episodes in recent politics. Brexit was selected by having a set of exclusive characteristics, factors, and social elements which resulted in the UK leaving the EU after 47 years. Additionally, two academic attributes were considered to be politically researched, which were leadership and communication techniques. The former established the relationship between two parts of society (leaders and followers) and how their roles developed during the Brexit referendum campaign, and the latter examined political language by extracting the most representative rhetorical means used by the British leaders to run it. The set of rhetorical techniques was thoroughly investigated using a specially adopted analysis. Several examples were included in how they were performed politically and strategically to create that democratic result. To execute this study, we developed qualitative research based on a study case strategy, descriptive purpose, and by having an inductive approach. Consequently, we selected a sampling method which met specific research criteria and allowed us to analyse this political phenomenon rhetorically. Besides, our empirical data was formed by using interactive and visual material which provided a credible source of study to approach, identify, and answer our research questions. Finally, Brexit’s outcome was viewed as the end of an era in terms of faith in the benefits of globalisation, open labour markets, European integration (Norris and Inglehart, 2019), loss of identity from British individuals, and the reflection of a fractured society (Gherghina and O’Malley, 2019). Key words Political leadership, political followership, political environment, language, rhetorical means, influencing approaches, Brexit, the (Brexit) referendum campaign, the Remain campaign, the Leave campaign. Acknowledgements We would like to express our special thanks and gratitude to all those who were involved directly and indirectly in the successful preparation of this master’s thesis, especially to Lars Lindkvist and Mikael Lundgren, who, by providing us with fruitful guidelines and recommendations, played a crucial role throughout this journey. Additionally, we would like to thank Linnaeus University, especially the School of Business and Economics and the University Library, for giving us a tailored set of tools and quality moments to develop this remarkable project. We could not have done it as well without them. Lastly, we would like to thank our family for supporting us unconditionally throughout this period as well as the city of Kalmar for proving an outstanding academic and social environment to strengthen our skills, improve our weaknesses, and most importantly, enrich new abilities and pieces of knowledge, which will be a part of our personal and professional profiles for a long time. Jorge, Pearl, and Diego Kalmar, Sweden June 2020 Table of Contents 1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Background ........................................................................................................................ 1 1.2 The Importance of the Research Topic .............................................................................. 4 1.3 Problem Discussion ........................................................................................................... 5 1.4 Research Purpose and Research Questions ....................................................................... 8 1.5 Research Objective ............................................................................................................ 9 1.6 Thesis Scope and Delimitations ......................................................................................... 9 1.7 Thesis Outline .................................................................................................................. 10 2 Literature Review ........................................................................................................... 12 2.1 Introduction...................................................................................................................... 12 2.2 Political Leadership ......................................................................................................... 13 2.2.1 Description of Political Leaders ....................................................................................... 14 2.2.2 Sensemaking and Management of Meaning .................................................................... 18 2.2.3 Language as an Influencing Tool ..................................................................................... 20 2.2.4 Narratives and Stories ...................................................................................................... 23 2.2.5 Rhetoric ............................................................................................................................ 26 2.3 Political Followership ..................................................................................................... 32 2.4 Political Context .............................................................................................................. 36 3 Methodological Approach ............................................................................................. 39 3.1 Research Design .............................................................................................................. 39 3.2 Empirical Data................................................................................................................. 40 3.3 Sampling Description ....................................................................................................... 41 3.3.1 Criteria Assessment ......................................................................................................... 41 3.3.2 Data Collection Process ................................................................................................... 42 3.3.3 Sampling .......................................................................................................................... 43 3.4 Empirical Data Analysis .................................................................................................. 45 3.4.1 Analytical Framework ..................................................................................................... 46 3.4.2 Documentation of Empirical Data Analysis .................................................................... 47 3.5 Ethical Matters................................................................................................................. 49 4 Understanding Brexit ..................................................................................................... 51 4.1 The Concept of Brexit ...................................................................................................... 51 4.2 History of Brexit ............................................................................................................... 52 4.2.1 Before Referendum (1975 – May 2015) .......................................................................... 52 4.2.2 The Brexit Referendum Campaign (May 2015 – June 2016) .......................................... 55 4.2.3 The Brexit Referendum Results ....................................................................................... 65 4.2.4 Post-Referendum Period (June 2016 – December 2020) ................................................. 67 5 Empirical Data Analysis ................................................................................................ 69 5.1 Introduction...................................................................................................................... 69 5.2 Remain Campaign ............................................................................................................ 69 5.2.1 Interactive Material .......................................................................................................... 69 5.2.2 Visual Material................................................................................................................. 72 5.3 Leave Campaign .............................................................................................................. 73 5.3.1 Interactive Material .......................................................................................................... 73 5.3.2 Visual Material................................................................................................................. 75 6 Discussion ........................................................................................................................ 77 6.1 Rhetorical Means ............................................................................................................. 77 6.1.1 Remain Campaign ...........................................................................................................