Effective Leadership for Quality Achievement and Organizational Learning

Stephen W. King

ABSTRACT
This research tests a set of theoretical relationships drawn from the literature on leadership, quality assurance management and organizational learning. The quality management literature frequently cites the importance of leadership, but little research has been done to evaluate the linkages between leadership behaviors and the goals of quality management programs. This study adapts and integrates a Deming-based quality management model (Anderson, Rungtusanatham and Schroeder, 1994) with a multi-dimensional leadership model (Bass, 1985). It ties the foregoing to the five disciplines of the learning organization (Senge, 1990) to reveal how organizational learning is related to specific leadership behaviors and to the process management practices and process outcomes of work groups.

This cross-sectional correlational field study generated perceptual data from 615 subordinates of 104 work group leaders within 19 quality-focused organizations. Subordinates, work group leaders and executives completed self-administered surveys to provide a hierarchical system of measurement perspectives. A variety of previously validated survey instruments was used including the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ). Hypothesis testing was conducted at the individual level and work group level of analysis. Ordinary least squares regression analysis was subjected to confirmatory testing using multilevel modeling. Structural equation modeling was used to graphically illustrate the multivariate relationships.

The results indicate that transformational leadership behaviors are positively associated with teamwork, customer focus and commitment to continuous improvement and to the learning organization disciplines of shared vision and managing mental models. Laissez-faire leadership is negatively associated with customer focus. Active management by exception is positively associated with the use of process control methods. Use of process control methods are in turn related to increased process feedback to team members which encourages two other organizational learning disciplines, team learning and individuals’ sense of personal mastery. Systems thinking (Senge’s fifth discipline) and team learning are positively related to the degree to which work group leaders report the achievement of continuous improvement goals.

The unique contributions of this study stem from its use of multiple measurement perspectives (to avoid common method variance) and multilevel data to illustrate an overall system of relationships.

Thursday, March 7, 2002
1:15-3:15 pm

DISSERTATION COMMITTEE
Alan Cabelly, Chairman
Nancy A. Perrin
William Pfeiffer
Wayne W. Wakeland
Donald Truxillo, Graduate Studies Rep.