A FIT THEORY OF ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP AND TWO EMPIRICAL EXAMINATIONS

In a three manuscript dissertation, I propose a Meso-model of organizational leadership based on fit theory and then test key propositions of the model concerning exchange relationships between leaders and followers. The first manuscript examines existing leadership theory highlighting points of agreement and contention among theoretical paradigms, and then presents a fit-based model designed to integrate theory and allow for more directed growth in the field. The second manuscript proposes that narcissistic leaders will form dysfunctional relationships with followers based on subordinate Core Self-Evaluation (CSE). It is hypothesized that follower CSE is positively related to higher quality exchange relationships (LMX) with supervisors. However, I predict that leader narcissism moderates this relationship such that for narcissistic supervisors the CSE-LMX relationship is negative, as narcissists prefer to surround themselves with low-CSE followers. Results did not support the hypotheses, and several intervening variables and future directions are considered in the discussion. The third manuscript investigates the interaction between bad apple followers, or those with a predisposition to destructive behavior, and ethical leaders. Competing hypotheses are presented to explain the interaction, with the goal of determining if and how ethical leaders are able to influence the deviant behavior of Bad Apple employees. Results suggest that Bad Apples improve their behavior in the presence of an ethical leader, but remain equally more deviant than their non-Bad Apple peers with or without ethical leadership. Implications and future directions are also discussed.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy

Level thesis:degree_level

Doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Business Administration

Grantor

University of Houston

Year dc:date.issued

2012

Author dc:creator

• Sweet, Kenneth

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Atwater, Leanne E.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Rude, Dale
• Werner, Steve
• Witt, L. Alan

• Leadership
• Fit Theory
• Narcissism
• Machiavellianism
• Core Self-evaluation
• Leader-member exchange

Statement dc:rights

• The author of this work is the copyright owner. UH Libraries and the Texas Digital Library have their permission to store and provide access to this work. Further transmission, reproduction, or presentation of this work is prohibited except with permission of the author(s).

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10657/ETD-UH-2012-05-284

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:uh-ir.tdl.org:10657/ETD-UH-2012-05-284