Leadership orientations of chief executives of nonprofit organizations in Cental Florida : a frame analysis

This study is based on the multiple-frame leadership orientation theory developed by Bolman and Deal. In August 1999, the Leadership Orientations (Self) (1990b) survey instrument, designed by Bolman and Deal to enable leaders to rate themselves on their use of four organizational frames, was mailed to 538 chief executives of nonprofit organizations in central Florida. The useable return rate for this study was 44.1 % (N=202) useable surveys. This study sought to identify the chief executives\u27 use of the structural, human resource, political, and symbolic frames and to examine the relationship between frame usage and age, gender, highest degree major, years in current position, years of experience as a chief executive of any nonprofit organization, size of the organization, and types of post-degree management training. The chief executives\u27 self-ratings of leadership effectiveness and their self-ratings of managerial effectiveness were also examined. Major findings of this study included: (1) the human resource frame was the primary frame used by the chief executives; (2) the symbolic frame was the second most frequently used frame; (3) the political frame was the least used frame; (4) less than half (41.3%) of the chief executives used multiple frames, i.e., three or four frames; (5) female chief executives were more likely to use the symbolic frame than were male chief executives; ( 6) frame use for the chief executives did not differ based on age, highest degree major, years in current position, years of experience as a chief executive of any nonprofit organization, size of the organization, or types of post-degree management training; and, (7) the chief executives rated themselves as slightly more effective leaders than managers