The impact of transformational and transactional leadership characteristics on motivation, job satisfaction and trust within Jordanian universities
Extensive research has been undertaken in the area of transformational leadership theory and yet some notable gaps exist. Research has compared transformational and transactional leadership and has examined its existence in both public and private organizations. The leadership phenomenon has similarly been investigated in different cultures, yet there is a paucity of data which synthesizes how these leadership paradigms are perceived in a diverse Middle Eastern cultural environment. The aim of the current study was to compare the perceptions of transactional and transformational leadership styles and their impact upon motivation, trust and job satisfaction within higher educational institutions in Jordan. Working within the positivist domain, primary data was gathered through leader and follower questionnaires that were designed to test out theory in a deductive way. Data was sought on transformational leadership theory, ideal leader characteristics and the perceptual understanding of motivation, trust and job satisfaction. Biographic data was sought to form independent variables. The sample of over 700 was drawn from five Jordanian universities, which ranged across regions and between public and private institutions. With respect to transformational leadership theory the main findings were that Intellectual Stimulation, Individual Consideration and Idealized Behaviour comprised the three main characteristics of leaders within Jordanian higher education. Followers were highly motivated by their work activity and promotion, although a fear of failure emerged as a negative aspect of follower motivation. Transformational leadership had a greater positive impact on job satisfaction than did transactional leadership, especially in the area of Inspirational Motivation, which emerged as the most effective characteristic for job satisfaction. A strong association was found between trust and both Idealized Behaviour and Idealized Attributes. Finally, it is of note that followers trusted leaders who were transactional, particularly with regards to Contingent Reward. The providing of followers with clear rules for reward, within a structured system, is likely to be a salient factor within the higher education system of Jordan. The current study is the first of its kind to investigate transformational leadership theory in relation to trust, job satisfaction and motivation, within Jordanian universities and makes a valuable contribution to a number of areas. Most significantly, transformational leadership theory is extended in a unique way. New contributions are also made to the areas of situational leadership theory and the important conceptual areas of trust, motivation and job satisfaction. The hypothesised leader and situational profile provides a framework for understanding the behaviour and characteristics of leaders who operate within Jordanian universities and is presented with recommendations for future research. The university sector forms an important part of Jordan's economy and there is a considerable prospect for it to contribute to the nation's economic growth. As the universities are soon to operate within a more deregulated and competitive environment, effective leadership is likely to be of paramount importance. Thus, if the higher education sector can adopt the findings and improve their leadership effectiveness, the current study is set to have a positive impact on the national economy.
HF5001 Business, L Education (General), LG Individual institutions (Asia. Africa)
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