The Relationship of Managerial Behavior Dimensions and Situational Variables

Abstract

Prior research of situational effects on leadership and managerial behavior have been primarily concerned with three situational variables-task structure, position power and leader member relations-and two dimensions of behavior-task oriented and relationship oriented. This study attempts to establish a more comprehensive analysis of the relationship between situational variables and managerial behavior by expanding the scope of study for both elements. Six managerial behavior dimensions and 23 situational variables were assessed for managers within six organizations. The results show a substantial proportion of the variance of each managerial behavior dimension is accounted for by the situational variables.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

1. Fiedler, F. E. , A Theory of Leadership Effectiveness (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1967).

2. Fiedler, F. E. , "Personality, Motivational Systems, and Behavior of High and Low LPC Persons," Human Relations, Vol. 25 (1972), 391-412.

3. House, R. J. , "A Path-Goal Theory of Leader Effectiveness," Administrative Science Quarterly, 16 (1971), 321-338.

4. Hunt, J. G. and S. L. Larson , Leadership Frontiers (Kent, Ohio: Kent State University Press, 1975).

5. Kerr, S. , C. A. Schriesheim , C. J. Murphy , and R. M. Stogdill , "Toward a Contingency Theory of Leadership Based Upon the Consideration and Initiating Structure Literature," Organizational Behavior and Human Performance, Vol. 12 (1974), 62-76.

6. Korman, A. H. , "Consideration, Initiating Structure and Organizational Criteria: A Review," Personnel Psychology, Vol. 19 (1966), 349-361.

7. Wofford, J. C. , "Behavior Styles and Performance Effectiveness," Personnel Psychology, Vol. 20 (1967), 461-496.

8. Wofford, J. C., "Factor Analysis of Managerial Behavior Variables," unpublished manuscript, 1976.