A role theory approach to understanding transformational and transactional leadership behaviors: The role of interpretations of organizational context

This research asserts that managers\u27 interpretations of structure, culture and orally communicated role expectations from their superiors are related to how they perceive their role requirements as leaders. These perceived role requirements are proposed to influence the extent to which managers exhibit certain leadership behaviors and their effectiveness as leaders. It is argued that the organization\u27s inner context serves as a role sender, communicating role expectations and influencing managers\u27 perceptions of their role requirements and subsequently, motivating or constraining them to rely on either transformational or transactional leader behaviors. Furthermore, it is hypothesized that personality factors influence response behaviors to role sender expectations and pressures, and will likely influence how managers interpret their leadership role requirements. It is also proposed that managers\u27 use of transformational behaviors is value-added in relation to leader effectiveness variables over and above that of transactional leadership behaviors. The model was tested on a sample of 186 managers, 71 of their superiors, and 596 of their subordinates. Results indicate that managers\u27 interpretations of their organization\u27s structure and culture are related to how they perceive their role requirements as leaders. Due to the low sample of superior responses, most of these hypotheses were not supported. Interpretations of an organic structure were negatively related to transactional role requirements. Interpretations of a transactional culture were positively related to transactional role requirements and negatively related to transformational role requirements. Likewise interpretations of a transformational culture were positively related to transformational role requirements and negatively related to transactional role requirements. These perceived role requirements, however, were not found to influence the extent to which managers exhibit transactional and transformational leadership behaviors. Furthermore, it was established that the relationship between interpretations of context and perceived role requirements was stronger for managers with an external locus of control and high self monitoring. It was also established that managers\u27 use of transformational behaviors is value-added in relation to subordinate ratings of leader satisfaction, leader effectiveness, and the subordinate\u27s willingness to exert extra effort over and above that of transactional leadership behaviors. Limitations and suggestions for future research are also discussed