An investigation of transformational and transactional leadership styles in personal social service organizations

The dissertation examines the applicability of transformational and transactional leadership style to personal social service organizations. The Executive Directors and their subordinates from 92 Children’s Aid Societies and Children’s Mental Health Centres in Ontario participated in the study. The results indicate significant positive relationships between transformational leadership (TFL) and job satisfaction, commitment, leader effectiveness, and satisfaction with the leader. While not as robust, significant negative relationships were found between transactional leadership (TAL) and job satisfaction, commitment, leader effectiveness, and satisfaction with the leader. It is pointed out that TAL and TFL are derived by averaging eight discrete factors into two sources. This procedure allows for a comprehensive analysis of TFL and TAL leadership, but results in the loss of information regarding the relative importance of the individual factors making up the score. The dissertation concludes with suggesting that TFL and TAL are useful factors in examining leadership in personal social service organizations. However, while the TAL concept is relevant as an appropriate leadership style, the adequacy of Bass’ Multi-Factor Leadership Questionnaire used to measure TAL is questioned. This research reflects that TAL and TFL is perceived as a bipolar concept rather than an independent one as suggested by Bass (1985). Areas for future research as suggested including the role of personal values in TFL; the measurement of TAL; the relevance of TAL and TFL to more direct service positions; and management training programmes to promote the development of TFL.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Social Work (DSW)

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Social Work

Year dc:date

1993

Author dc:creator

• Kays, Dieter Ernest

Contributors dc:contributor

• Eli Teram

• Social Work

Repository record dc:identifier

https://scholars.wlu.ca/etd/205

OAI record oai:identifier

https://scholars.wlu.ca/do/oai/?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=oai_etdms&identifier=oai%3Ascholars.wlu.ca%3Aetd-1204