Showing papers on "Transactional leadership published in 2008"

Servant leadership: Development of a multidimensional measure and multi-level assessment ☆

Abstract: Servant leadership stresses personal integrity and serving others, including employees, customers, and communities. This article focuses on a servant leadership measure that was created by identifying 9 dimensions. Relevant items were then developed and subjected to factor analysis with a sample of 298 students, resulting in a 7-factor solution. Using an organizational sample of 182 individuals, we verified this 7-factor model with confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). We further validated our 28-item servant leadership scale by regressing outcomes on the servant leadership dimensions, controlling for transformational leadership and leader–member exchange (LMX) in a multi-level hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) analysis. The results suggest that servant leadership is a multidimensional construct and at the individual level makes a unique contribution beyond transformational leadership and LMX in explaining community citizenship behaviors, in-role performance, and organizational commitment. No between-leader (group-level) differences were found in the outcomes variables.

Ethical and despotic leadership, relationships with leader's social responsibility, top management team effectiveness and subordinates' optimism: A multi-method study

Abstract: In this multi-method study, we examined the relationships of leader's social responsibility with different aspects of ethical leadership (morality and fairness, role clarification, and power sharing) as well as with despotic leadership. We also investigated how these leadership behaviors relate to effectiveness and optimism, using multiple-source ratings. Interviews with CEOs ( N = 73) were coded for the presence of leader's social responsibility and its facets. Also, using questionnaires, direct reports rated each CEOs' leader behavior ( n = 130) and a second group of direct reports ( n = 119) rated effectiveness and optimism. As expected, leaders high on social responsibility were rated higher on ethical leadership and lower on despotic leadership. Ethical leadership was also positively related to perceived top management team effectiveness and subordinates' optimism about the future of the organization and their own place within it.

Leadership, followership, and evolution: Some lessons from the past.

Abstract: This article analyzes the topic of leadership from an evolutionary perspective and proposes three conclusions that are not part of mainstream theory. First, leading and following are strategies that evolved for solving social coordination problems in ancestral environments, including in particular the problems of group movement, intragroup peacekeeping, and intergroup competition. Second, the relationship between leaders and followers is inherently ambivalent because of the potential for exploitation of followers by leaders. Third, modern organizational structures are sometimes inconsistent with aspects of our evolved leadership psychology, which might explain the alienation and frustration of many citizens and employees. The authors draw several implications of this evolutionary analysis for leadership theory, research, and practice.

The effects of transformational and change leadership on employees' commitment to a change: a multilevel study.

Abstract: The effects of transformational leadership on the outcomes of specific change initiatives are not well understood. Conversely, organizational change studies have examined leader behaviors during specific change implementations yet have failed to link these to broader leadership theories. In this study, the authors investigate the relationship between transformational and change leadership and followers' commitment to a particular change initiative as a function of the personal impact of the changes. Transformational leadership was found to be more strongly related to followers' change commitment than change-specific leadership practices, especially when the change had significant personal impact. For leaders who were not viewed as transformational, good change-management practices were found to be associated with higher levels of change commitment.

How leaders influence organizational effectiveness

Abstract: The flexible leadership theory explains how top executives and other leaders can influence the financial performance of a business organization. Three key determinants of financial performance are efficiency, adaptation, and human capital. A wide range of leadership behaviors, management programs, structural forms, and external initiatives can be used to influence these performance determinants. Management programs and systems are usually more effective when they are mutually compatible and appropriate for the situation. Effective performance requires a cooperative effort by the multiple leaders in an organization, and they must be flexible and adaptive as the situation changes. The theory provides a way to integrate findings from several different and largely separate literatures.

Building a Climate for Innovation Through Transformational Leadership and Organizational Culture

Abstract: Research has called for organizations to be more flexible, adaptive, entrepreneurial, and innovative in meeting the changing demands of today's environment. Appropriate leadership to effect such ch...

Transformational Leadership and Team Innovation : Integrating Team Climate Principles

Abstract: Fostering team innovation is increasingly an important leadership function. However, the empirical evidence for the role of transformational leadership in engendering team innovation is scarce and mixed. To address this issue, the authors link transformational leadership theory to principles of M. A. West's (1990) team climate theory and propose an integrated model for the relationship between transformational leadership and team innovation. This model involves support for innovation as a mediating process and climate for excellence as a moderator. Results from a study of 33 research and development teams confirmed that transformational leadership works through support for innovation, which in turn interacts with climate for excellence such that support for innovation enhances team innovation only when climate for excellence is high.

Leadership and the fate of organizations.

Abstract: This article concerns the real-world importance of leadership for the success or failure of organizations and social institutions. The authors propose conceptualizing leadership and evaluating leaders in terms of the performance of the team or organization for which they are responsible. The authors next offer a taxonomy of the dependent variables used as criteria in leadership studies. A review of research using this taxonomy suggests that the vast empirical literature on leadership may tell us more about the success of individual managerial careers than the success of these people in leading groups, teams, and organizations. The authors then summarize the evidence showing that leaders do indeed affect the performance of organizations--for better or for worse--and conclude by describing the mechanisms through which they do so.

Dynamic performance tuning of word-based software transactional memory

Abstract: The current generation of software transactional memories has the advantage of being simple and efficient. Nevertheless, there are several parameters that affect the performance of a transactional memory, for example the locality of the application and the cache line size of the processor. In this paper, we investigate dynamic tuning mechanisms on a new time-based software transactional memory implementation. We study in extensive measurements the performance of our implementation and exhibit the benefits of dynamic tuning. We compare our results with TL2, which is currently one of the fastest word-based software transactional memories.

Direction, alignment, commitment: Toward a more integrative ontology of leadership

Abstract: This article argues that the current, widely accepted leadership ontology — leaders, followers, and shared goals — is becoming less useful for understanding leadership in contexts that are increasingly peer-like and collaborative. The further development of leadership theory calls for a corresponding development at the level of leadership ontology. Thus, an alternative leadership ontology is proposed: direction, alignment, and commitment. A theoretical framework based on such an ontology is sketched out. It is argued that such a framework can integrate emerging leadership research and ultimately stimulate the development of new leadership theory and practice.

The effects of transformational leadership on followers' perceived work characteristics and psychological well-being: A longitudinal study.

Abstract: Transformational leaders employ a visionary and creative style of leadership that inspires employees to broaden their interest in their work and to be innovative and creative. There is some evidence that transformational leadership style is linked to employee psychological well-being. However, it is not clear whether this is due to (1) a direct relationship between leadership behaviour and affective well-being outcomes, or (2) a relationship between leadership behaviour and well-being that is mediated by followers’ perceived work characteristics. (Such characteristics include role clarity, meaningfulness, and opportunities for development.) This study aims to extend previous work by examining the validity of these two mechanisms in a longitudinal questionnaire study. The study was carried out within the elderly care sector in a Danish local governmental department. A theory-driven model of the relationships between leadership, work characteristics, and psychological well-being was tested using St...

The future of distributed leadership

Abstract: Purpose – This paper aims to assess the empirical utility and conceptual significance of distributed leadership.Design/methodology/approach – Three main sources of evidence are drawn on. The paper reviews some neglected commentary of an early generation of distributed leadership theorists. It also discusses a strand of social science writings on emergent small number management formations. An alternative interpretation of the findings of three recent empirical studies of distributed leadership is provided. Some unresolved issues are considered.Findings – Distributed leadership arose in reaction to understandings of leadership that emphasised heroic‐like individual behaviour. It has achieved a high level of theoretical and practical uptake. This paper, however, argues for reconsideration. Distributed leadership is shown to be largely unremarkable, especially in light of the continuity between current writings and those of early generation scholars. This claim is also reinforced by the inability of most cur...

Leadership efficacy: Review and future directions

Abstract: The concept of leader efficacy has received relatively little attention in the leadership literature. This is somewhat surprising given that effective leadership requires high levels of agency (i.e., deliberately or intentionally exerting positive influence) and confidence. This review uses existing theory and research on leader efficacy as a point of departure for proposing an expanded and multi-level framework for understanding the domain of leadership efficacy that includes leader, follower, and collective efficacies. The primary goals are to provide a conceptual framework to stimulate future theory and research on building efficacious leadership and to understand how such leadership develops and has implications for effective performance.

Examining the Nature and Significance of Leadership in Government Organizations

Abstract: Though the mainstream organizational literature has advanced in the last 20 years with the integration of transformational and distributed leadership theories, as well as genuine attempts at comprehensive models, the public sector literature has lagged, especially in utilizing large-scale empirical studies. This study takes advantage of a very large government data set to test the utility of one of the best known theories, the “full range” leadership theory of Bernard Bass. It addresses three important research questions: How inclusive is Bass’s operational definition of leadership? How much of an impact do Bass’s leadership competencies have on follower satisfaction? Finally, how important is transformational leadership compared to transactional leadership in government settings? The results indicate that Bass’s broad definition of leadership comes quite close to capturing what federal employees perceive to be effective leadership. The relationship between good leadership in an organization and follower satisfaction is also presented as an important outcome in the federal government. Finally, both transactional and transformational leadership are perceived as important in the federal government, although transformational leadership is considered slightly more important even after shifting one important factor, individualized consideration, back to the transactional model.

Performance and leadership outcome correlates of leadership styles and subordinate commitment

Abstract: Purpose – This study aims to examine how project managers' leadership styles and subordinates' organisational commitment correlates with leadership outcomes and work performance of subordinates on construction projects. It provides significant value for both practitioners and academics. On the practical side, it seeks to inform project managers that they can adapt their leadership behaviours in order to enhance subordinates' organizational commitment, improve work performance, and consequently increase a positive working atmosphere. Academically, the study aims to provide additional insights into the leadership field by contributing to the future development of this study area.Design/methodology/approach – Leadership styles and leadership outcomes were measured using Bass and Avolio's multifactor leadership questionnaire (MLQ). Porter et al.'s organizational commitment questionnaire (OCQ) was used to measure organizational commitment of subordinates. A total of 156 respondents (project managers, engineers...

Realising the Potential of Co-production: Negotiating Improvements in Public Services

Abstract: The concept of co-production – also called co-creation – is gaining widespread attention as a way to increase user involvement in service provision in the UK. It is usually taken as self-evident that more co-production will improve services. However, it is necessary to be clear about how far and in what ways co-production can improve public services. This article looks at the purported advantages of co-production, and considers how these can best be accessed. A case study workshop involving social housing users and providers, conducted as part of the National Consumer Council-Unison Shared Solutions project, is used to illustrate the need for collective dialogue and deliberation between co-producers rather than purely transactional forms of co-production.

Unrequited Profit: How Stakeholder and Economic Values Relate to Subordinates' Perceptions of Leadership and Firm Performance:

Abstract: The purpose of the current study was to examine the indirect effects of executives' stakeholder and economic values on firm performance through their followers' perceptions of leadership and follow...

Ceo transformational leadership: The role of goal importance congruence in top management teams

Abstract: Using data from 94 top management teams, we found that dyadic goal importance congruence between CEOs and vice presidents (VPs) partially mediated the relationship of CEO transformational leadership with individual VPs’ attitudes, but not their performance. However, finer-grained analyses suggested it may be higher VP perceptions of goal importance, rather than the exact correspondence between CEO and VP goal importance ratings, that are associated with both CEO transformational leadership and VP attitudes. At the organizational level, CEO transformational leadership was positively related to within-team goal importance congruence, which in turn was positively related to organizational performance.

The impact of transformational leadership on organizational and leadership effectiveness: The Turkish case

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of leadership behaviors on both organizational and leader effectiveness at boutique hotelsDesign/methodology/approach – A total of 722 subjects (60 managers and 662 non‐managerial employees) participated in this study from 60 boutique hotels Participants were told that the study was designed to collect information on the leadership styles used by managers and on the satisfaction and commitment of employees in the hospitality workforce Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire, Organizational Commitment Questionnaire and Job Descriptive Index were used to assess leadership behaviors of the boutique hotels' first‐line managers and commitment and satisfaction levels of employees, respectivelyFindings – There are significant relations between leadership behaviors and both organizational and leadership effectiveness The findings support the suggestion in the literature that transformational leadership behaviors stimulate organizational commitment

Explaining the adoption of transactional B2C mobile commerce

Abstract: Purpose – Given the proliferation of mobile devices, m‐commerce is expected to experience a substantial growth. However, most m‐commerce applications except for a few have failed to meet expectations. In this study, the authors aim to examine specific factors pertaining to the individual adoption of B2C transactional mobile commerce.Design/methodology/approach – A comprehensive framework integrating well established theories of technology adoption – i.e. the technology acceptance model (TAM) and the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) – is developed. More specifically, perceived usefulness is re‐conceptualized to enhance the specificity of these theories to mobile commerce. The resulting model is empirically tested with mobile device users who have not adopted mobile commerce yet.Findings – The empirical results provide strong support for the integrative approach, shedding light on the significance and relative importance of specific technological characteristics. The theoretical and empirical implications ...

Transformational Leadership and Innovative Work Behaviour: Exploring the Relevance of Gender Differences

Abstract: The importance of innovation within organizations has been demonstrated on numerous occasions, which has subsequently led to the identification of effective leadership as a potential catalyst. Accordingly, empirical findings have repeatedly demonstrated a positive relationship between transformational leadership and work unit effectiveness measures. This study explores the relationship between transformational leadership and employee innovative work behaviour, additionally examining the moderating effect of gender of the manager and gender of the employee. Data were gathered within four Australian hospitals, generating a dataset of 335 respondents. The findings revealed a positive and significant relationship between transformational leadership and innovative work behaviour. Furthermore, gender of the manager moderated the latter relationship, indicating that employees report more innovative behaviour when the transformational leadership is displayed by male in comparison with female managers, confirming our gender bias hypothesis. No significant effect was found for the threeway interaction of transformational leadership, gender of the manager, and gender of the employee. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.

Effects of Psychological Contract Breach on Organizational Citizenship Behaviour: Insights from the Group Value Model

Abstract: Research on psychological contract breach has referenced social exchange as its dominant theoretical foundation. In this study, we draw insights from the group value model as a theoretical extension to explain employees’ negative responses to psychological contract breach. According to the group value model, fair treatment by group members communicates symbolic messages about the relationship between the organization and the employee, and has implications for whether employees can take pride in their organizational membership. When people are treated unfairly, they lose trust in the organization and dis-identify from the group. This in turn results in less willingness on the part of the employees to engage in organizational citizenship behaviours (OCBs). We tested these relationships across three studies. In Study 1, we conducted a longitudinal test of the role of trust as a mediator between breach and organizational identification. In Studies 2 (cross-sectional) and 3 (longitudinal), we tested the complete model in which we examined the role of trust and identification in mediating the link between breach and OCBs. All three studies provided support for the mediated model. Furthermore, as predicted by the group value model, the hypothesized relationships emerged in response to relational but not transactional contract breaches. Theoretical and applied implications are discussed.

* Evaluating the Structural Validity of the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ), Capturing the Leadership Factors of Transformational-Transactional Leadership

Abstract: Most previous research on transformational leadership involved the use of the “Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire” (MLQ) to measure various aspects of transformational-transactional leadership. Although the MLQ is widely used, the instrument has been criticized in some areas of its measurement factors. In this study, three proposed models were tested by Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) using the multi-data source of 138 cases. Results revealed that the overall fit of the nine-correlated factor model, on its second test, was statistically significant and that indicated that the Full Leadership Model (nine-correlated leadership model) could be the most appropriately and adequately capturing the factor constructs of transformational-transactional leadership. Keywords: Transformational leadership; Structural validity, Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire; Confirmatory Factor Analysis

Distributed School Leadership: Developing Tomorrow's Leaders

Abstract: 1. Leadership in a Changing World 2. Leadership in Crisis 3. Distributed Leadership 4. Distributed Leadership: the Theory 5. Distributed Leadership: the Evidence 6. Distributed Leadership in Context 7. Distributed Leadership Practice: Within Schools 8. Distributed Leadership Practice: Between and Outside Schools 9. Distributed Leadership and Knowledge Creation 10. Future Leadership

Contingent reward transactional leadership, work attitudes, and organizational citizenship behavior: The role of procedural justice climate perceptions and strength

Abstract: Using a sample of 212 bank employees, we developed a model in which procedural justice climate perceptions and strength mediated the relationships between contingent reward leader behavior and follower satisfaction with supervisor, organizational commitment, and rated organizational citizenship behavior, controlling for perceived supervisor support. Results from the HLM analysis showed that procedural justice climate perceptions and strength completely mediated the relationships between contingent reward leader behavior and followers' satisfaction with supervisor and levels of organizational commitment, and partially mediated the relationship between contingent reward leader behavior and supervisor rated organizational citizenship behavior. Implications for research and practice of our findings are discussed.

An Examination of “Nonleadership”: From Laissez-Faire Leadership to Leader Reward Omission and Punishment Omission

Abstract: Laissez-faire leadership has received much less attention than have the 3 transactional leadership dimensions of the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ). However, laissez-faire leadership has shown strong negative relationships with various leadership criteria, and the absence of leadership (laissez-faire leadership) may be just as important as is the presence of other types of leadership. This article focuses on a single type of laissez-faire leadership (i.e., the lack of response to subordinate performance). Using a reinforcement perspective, the authors developed measures and examined the effects of the lack of performance-contingent reinforcement in 2 forms: reward omission (leader nonreinforcement of good subordinate performance) and punishment omission (leader nonreinforcement of poor subordinate performance). They found strong evidence in support of the construct validity of the new measures and found that omission was related to follower satisfaction with the leader, subordinate-rated leader effectiveness, subordinate-perceived role clarity, and supervisor-rated subordinate performance. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2008 APA, all rights reserved).

From Management to Leadership: Semantic or Meaningful Change?

Abstract: Educational management was still a relatively new field of study and practice in the UK at the time of the Education Reform Act (ERA) 1988. The field focused on `management' and not leadership. This emphasis very much reflected the business world and its use in education illustrated the `policy borrowing' characteristic of an emerging field. This article revisits the concepts of leadership and management, examines the impact of the ERA on management practice in schools and colleges, and discusses the notion of managerialism. The chronology of leadership and management during the past 20 years is explored, including the role of New Labour and the opening of the National College for School Leadership. The paper concludes with a review of the contemporary emphasis on leadership for learning.

Tensions in Higher Education Leadership: Towards a Multi-Level Model of Leadership Practice.

Abstract: UK higher education is undergoing a period of significant change that generates a series of tensions and difficulties for universities and university leaders. This paper explores these tensions through analysis of findings from a study comprising 152 semi-structured face-to-face interviews in 12 UK universities. Building on from theories of 'distributed leadership' in schools, five main constituent elements of leadership practice in higher education are identified (personal, social, structural, contextual and developmental) and explored to show how they shape perceptions and experiences of leadership. The paper concludes with a refined model that teases apart the multi-layered nature of higher education leadership at individual, group and organisational levels. In particular, it is argued that 'social capital' and 'social identity' act as important bridges between individual agency and organisational structure and that although widely distributed, higher education leadership may be best regarded as 'hybrid'.

Effects of leadership and leader‐member exchange on innovativeness

Abstract: Purpose – The role of research and development (R&D) in a knowledge‐based economy like Singapore is of paramount importance to the sustenance of its competitive advantage. R&D not only requires huge investments in time and capital but also in a committed pool of talent. The present study attempts to integrate both behavioural and relational perspectives using Bass's Multi‐Factor Leadership Theory and Liden and Maslyn's Multi‐Dimensional Model of Leader‐Member Exchange (LMX) and test their applicability in determining employees' innovativeness.Design/methodology/approach – Using the responses from 201 R&D professionals in Singapore, it is found that R&D superiors demonstrate predominantly transformational leadership but at lower frequency than observed in past studies. Practical implications arising from the findings for R&D managers, human resource managers, and training and education are discussed.Findings – The findings from hierarchical regression analysis reveal that transformational leadership has po...