Leadership & Organization Development Journal

Investigates whether emotional intelligence measured by the Swinburne University Emotional Intelligence Test predicted transformational, transactional and laissez‐faire leadership styles measured by the multifactor leadership questionnaire in 110 senior level managers. Effective leaders were identified as those who reported transformational rather than transactional behaviours. Emotional intelligence correlated highly with all components of transformational leadership, with the components of understanding of emotions (external) and emotional management the best predictors of this type of leadership style. The utility of emotional intelligence testing in leadership selection and development is discussed.

Behavioural and interpersonal skills most often cited as essential for successful knowledge management (acquisition). Unfortunately, little is known about the roles played by leadership in the process of knowledge acquisition. A survey of 227 persons who are, or have been engaged in knowledge acquisition activities was undertaken to investigate the relationship between different leadership style dimensions and a number of knowledge acquisition attributes. Results indicate that the leadership styles that involve human interaction and encourage participative decision‐making processes are positively related to the skills and traits that are essential for knowledge management.

This study empirically tested Hersey and Blanchard’s situational leadership theory (SLT) among 151 senior executives within service and manufacturing businesses of a large Fortune 100 company. SLT focuses on the interaction of the leader’s behaviour and follower readiness to determine leader effectiveness. SLT suggests that the appropriate level of task and relationship behaviour is the one that “matches” the level of follower readiness. A variety of statistical techniques were used to test the central hypotheses of SLT and the matching concept. The study produced 18 matches and 126 mismatches. One statistical technique, the partitioned test, was found to provide the most insight about SLT and the concept of matching. The researchers recommend its utilization in future research of SLT. The researchers conclude that SLT remains intuitively appealing and empirically contradictory. The concepts of SLT and matching are engaging and further research is recommended.

If all human beings were motivated in the same way, the job of management would be relatively easy. Of course we do not all see the world in the same way. Perception is what we see, and attitudes are what we think about what we see. There are two views of perception: a macro, or organisationally influenced view, and a micro, or individually oriented view of the perceptual process.

The feasibility and success of empowerment are to some extent determined by factors relating to the culture and structure of the industries within which organizations are embedded. The UK construction industry is an example that has a unique socio‐technical context, some aspects of which seem well‐suited to empowerment strategies. However, despite support for empowerment, it has not yet been universally embraced by construction organizations. Outlines the aspects of the industry that provide a suitable context for implementation of empowerment strategies. Suggests that, used selectively, it could play an important part in helping construction organizations to address increasing performance demands whilst mitigating the negative effects of the fragmented project delivery process. However, there remain many barriers to individual and team‐based empowerment strategies that require empirical investigation before the industry can benefit from their implementation.

This paper explores the nature and importance of leadership in technical projects. It argues that there is a need to develop a leadership model incorporating the distinguishing personality and occupational characteristics of technical professionals. It tested the applicability of Bass and Avolio’s transformational leadership model in an information systems project environment along with technical leadership scale derived from the technical leadership literature. The results indicated that a combination of transformational and technical leadership behaviours augments the effectiveness of transactional leadership leading to high project success. While recognising that there is no one leadership style that is effective in all project situations, the study recommends an underlying yet flexible style characterised by organisational catalyst, intellectual stimulation, behavioural charisma, and contingent reward behaviours for enhanced leadership effectiveness.

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the leadership practice scores and leadership behaviors of students before and after participation in an event management course., – A mixed methods approach was utilized. The Student‐Leadership Practice Inventory (S‐LPI) was administered to a sample of 184 students in three semesters of an event management course. Students completed the S‐LPI at the beginning and at the end of the course. The students also wrote reflections of their leadership behaviors and understandings., – Results of the study showed that students' mean leadership scores increased significantly for all practice areas between pre and post. Also, all correlations between pre and post scores were statistically significant, indicating that responses at pre and post followed similar patterns, with students who scored higher on the pre‐test also tending to score higher on the post‐test. Reflections from students demonstrated significant understanding of effective leadership behaviors and learning., – The sample was college students enrolled in an event management course at one university; therefore results may not be generalized to all students., – Results of this study suggest that involvement in an event management course in which students were engaged and responsible for the outcomes of their learning may have positively impacted these students' leadership behaviors., – This paper furthers the knowledge base and understanding of students' leadership growth through involvement in a university course as measured by the S‐LPI.

When multinationals bring together individuals within the organisation who are from different cultural bases, interpersonal behaviour is an issue of major importance, particularly in superior/subordinate relationships. The best and probably most productive interpersonal relationships occur when two styles become complementary, the strengths of one compensating for the weaknesses of the other. The role of social style as a technique to manage up in the multinational is analysed, incorporating the concept of social style, its major behavioural dimensions, social types and strengths and weaknesses of each style. Primary back‐up social styles are also analysed along with the importance of style flex.

- Bằng cách giới thiệu khái niệm "sự tham gia đầy đủ", bài báo này nhằm đề xuất rằng sự tham gia của nhân viên có khả năng bền vững hơn khi sức khỏe của nhân viên cũng ở mức cao. - Bằng chứng nghiên cứu về các khái niệm riêng biệt được xem xét và chứng cứ về những lợi ích mà cả sự tham gia và sức khỏe mang lại cho các tổ chức được trình bày. - Hầu hết các quan điểm hiện tại về sự tham gia của nhân viên thiếu những yếu tố có liên quan trực tiếp đến sức khỏe và phản ánh một quan điểm hạn hẹp, dựa trên cam kết. Quan điểm này tập trung quá nhiều vào những lợi ích cho tổ chức. Một khái niệm rộng hơn về sự tham gia (được gọi là "sự tham gia đầy đủ"), bao gồm sức khỏe của nhân viên, là cơ sở tốt hơn để xây dựng những lợi ích bền vững cho cả cá nhân và tổ chức. - Các nghiên cứu khám phá mối liên hệ giữa sự tham gia của nhân viên và sức khỏe cần thiết để xác thực và phát triển các giả thuyết được đưa ra trong bài báo này. - Một mô hình để cải thiện sự tham gia đầy đủ trong các tổ chức được trình bày cùng với những minh họa từ các nghiên cứu trường hợp ngắn. - Sự tích hợp của sức khỏe và sự tham gia dựa trên cam kết vào cấu trúc duy nhất của sự tham gia đầy đủ cung cấp một quan điểm mới mẻ.

The proportion of the workforce on temporary contracts of employment is increasing, as organisations use non‐permanent staff as a flexible resource. Rousseau and Wade‐Benzoni suggested such temporary staff have a different psychological contract with the organisation than their permanent counterparts. Temporary staff, it is argued, will have a transactional contract, with the emphasis upon the economic elements of the contract while permanent staff will have a more relational contract, involving commitment to the organisation, and an interest in a satisfying job. These differences, it is argued, will influence staff attitudes and behaviour. The article tests these suggestions on employees of a large holiday sector organisation. The results present a consistent picture, at variance with the above suggestions. The levels of relational and transactional contracts of permanent and temporary staff did not differ significantly. In addition they had higher, rather than lower, levels of job satisfaction and commitment to the organisation.