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Masters Theses
Winter 12-2004
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BY
Ann M. Maslanka
B.S., Grand Valley State University, 2002
THESIS
Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements
For the Master of Science degree in Communication
In the Graduate Studies Program
O f the School of Communications
Grand Valley State University
Allendale, Michigan
Winter Term
2004
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SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATIONS
GRAND VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY
ALLENDALE, MICHIGAN
WE HEREBY APPROVE THE THESIS SUBMITTED BY
Ann M. Maslanka
ENTITLED
M j\
Thesis Review Committee Member
APPROVED:
Date
Director o f School o f Communications
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7.
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ii
Acknowledgements
This study would not have been possible with out the assistance of this
researchers colleagues at Grand Valley State University, Resthaven Patrons, Inc., and
family and friends. Dr. Wm. Michael Pritchard served as chair of this thesis committee
and guided this researcher through numerous courses at Grand Valley State University,
and spent many hours correcting first, second, third and etc. drafts of this thesis and
offered direction to the researcher resulting in eompletion of this researchers classes and
thesis. Dr. Alex Nesterenko, the Director of the School of Communications, served on
this thesis committee and was also this researchers advisor through undergraduate
studies at Grand Valley State University. Lisa Lee, Human Resources at Resthaven
Patrons, Inc., also served on this thesis committee and in addition to having worked with
this researcher over the years, since 1999 at Resthaven Patrons, Inc., assisted this
researcher by presenting the employee satisfaction survey printed research questions and
results utilized in this thesis. Also, many thanks goes to this researchers support group
(family and friends), for the immeasurable love and support shown throughout the course
of time this thesis was written.
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Explanation of tables...........................................................................36
Table 1 .................................................................................................37
Table 2 .................................................................................................37
Table 3 .................................................................................................38
Table 4 .................................................................................................39
Table 5 .................................................................................................39
CHAPTER V ....................................................................................................................42
Conclusions............................................................................................................. 42
Conclusions and bnplications of Findings.................................................. 42
Suggestions for A ction..................................................................................44
Provide adequate feedback................................................................44
Verbal communication....................................................................... 45
Decision m aking.................................................................................45
The voice o f the em ployee................................................................. 46
Limitations o f the Study................................................................................46
Recommendations for Further S tudy ...........................................................47
References.................................................................................................................48
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CHAPTER I
Introduction
Background
Many have tried to establish a definition of leadership that encompasses the
intricacy of this universal term. One simplified definition of leadership is the process
of influencing an organized group toward accomplishing its goals {Lesson 1: The
Fundamentals o f Leadership). This definition emphasizes the importance of viewing
leadership as a process, directed at influencing a specific group of people to meet a
stated objective.
The Word Reference Dictionary (2003) defines leadership as the activity of
leading; the body of people who lead a group; the status of a leader; the ability to
lead. Yet another traditional definition of leadership is: an interpersonal influence
directed toward the achievement of a goal or goals (Allen, 1998). This definition
stresses the fact that a leader influences more than one person toward a goal.
Proctor (2004), stated that some leaders are horn and others are made. The
bom leaders innately have many of the necessary characteristics to he a leader and
somewhere along the way developed the desire to he leaders. According to this,
without the willingness to lead, ability counts for very little. Leaders that are made,
according to Proctor, may have some skills but need to develop others through
perseverance, practice and consistent application. For these types of aspiring leaders
it takes effort and time. Proctor feels that most of us have the ability to develop
leadership skills; fewer o f us have the desire, therefore the key is willingness
(Proctor, 2004).
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In his landmark 1978 study on leadership, James MacGregor Bums stated that
leadership is one o f the most observed and least understood phenomena on earth
(Bums, 1978). In the mid-1980s, Warren Bennis stated that, Never have so many
labored so long to say so little; and leadership is the most studied and least
understood topic of any in the social sciences (Bermis and Nanus, 1985, 4, 20; Van
Wart, 2003).
Another recent definition of leadership is from Gardner (1990, p 38) who
holds that leadership is the accomplishment of group purpose, which is furthered not
only by effective leaders but also by innovators, entrepreneurs, and thinkers; by the
availability o f resources; by questions of value and social cohesion. By this
definition then leadership can be thought of as an even broader phenomenon;
because, Gardner challenges the idea that leadership exists within a single designated
person and situation, and positions leadership as moving toward and achieving a
group goal, not necessarily because of the work of one skilled individual (i.e. the
leader) but because o f the work of multiple members of the group (Homer, 1997).
To most people, the importance of leadership is self-evident no matter what
the exact definition or setting. In organizations, effective leadership provides higherquality and more efficient goods and services; it provides a sense of cohesiveness,
personal development, and higher levels of satisfaction among those conducting the
work; and it provides an overarching sense of direction and vision, an alignment with
the environment, a healthy mechanism for innovation and creativity, and a resource
for invigorating the organizational culture (Van Wart, 2003). All of these are valid
points; however, the history o f leadership theory and research and its utilization in
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Purpose o f Study
Over the years, leadership has been studied extensively in various contexts
and theoretical foundations. In some cases, leadership has been described as a
process, but most theories and research on leadership look at a person to gain
understanding (Homer, 1997). Leadership is typically defined by the traits, qualities,
and behaviors o f a leader. The study o f leadership has spanned across cultures,
decades, and theoretical beliefs. A summary of what is known and understood about
leadership is important in understanding how it is and can be utilized in society today
(Homer, 1997).
There are numerous types of leadership styles and definitions. This study is
focused on basic leadership aeemed throughout the years and one example of how a
current health care organization utilizes leadership knowledge for the betterment of
their organization.
Therefore, the research question is as follows: Can utilization of current
leadership theory and practice by supervisors and managers increase employee job
satisfaction?
The hypothesis o f this study is as follows: Conducting and analyzing
employee satisfaction surveys in relation to leadership is effective in providing
information that helps in producing and enabling strong employee to employer
relationships.
Thus, the history and popular leadership theories shall be explored in hopes of
providing a solid foundation of leadership, leading into an example of how a current
organization is utilizing leadership knowledge today.
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Organization o f Thesis
This chapter presented a background on leadership. It included various
leadership definitions, and a summary of how general leadership definitions and
theories have evolved over the years. This summary serves as the foundation of how
utilization of current leadership theory and practice can be used to measure employee
satisfaction in current organizations. Chapter two will follow with an extensive
review o f pertinent literature. This literature will consist of dominant themes of
leadership history and theories over the years, leading up to current leadership
research. Chapter three will introduce the methodology and technical procedures used
in the study to measure employee satisfaction in relation to leadership. Presentations
of the findings o f this research are in Chapter four, and discussion of the findings and
implications will be presented in Chapter five.
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CHAPTER II
Literature Review
Introduction/Background
There is a great deal o f literature on leadership; the field has scores of specific
streams such as decision making, leader-follower interaction, power of the leader, and
many more that have made important contributions to our understanding (Cacioppe,
1997). To begin somewhere, offered here is a brief outline of the history of leadership
theory and research.
The scientific study o f leadership originated in the work of one of the
founding fathers o f sociology. Max Weber (1864-1920). Weber set the questions of
authority, status, and legitimacy in the context of religion, politics, and the military.
Devoting great attention to the unresolved tension between leaders and bureaucracies,
he grew convinced that an inexorable trend toward rationalization in every sphere of
society made the role of leaders both more problematic and more important
(Heilbrunn, 1994).
In a comprehensive review of leadership theories (Stogdill, 1974), several
different categories were identified that capture the essence of the study of leadership
in the twentieth century (Homer, 1997). Following this evolution of leadership
research and theory, below, will be an explanation o f a leadership study that was
conducted at an organization in West Michigan.
History o f Dominant Leadership Theory and Research
Great Man thesis. In the nineteenth century the notion of the great man
thesis dominated leadership theory. Its core belief was that there are only a few, very
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rare, individuals in any society at any time with the unique characteristics to shape or
express history. However, though this idea may serve sufficiently for case studies, it
is effectively irrefutable and therefore unusable as a scientific theory (Van Wart,
2003).
Trait theory. In the 1920s and 1930s, leadership research focused on trying
to identify the traits that differentiated leaders from non-leaders. These early
leadership theories were content theories, focusing on what an effective leader is,
not how to effectively lead. The trait approach assumes that certain physical, social,
and personal characteristics are inherent in leaders (Allen, 1998).
Early theorists examined the attributes of great leaders, and explained
leadership by the internal qualities with which a person is bom (Bernard, 1926). The
thought was that if the traits that differentiated leaders from followers could be
identified, successful leaders could be quickly assessed and put into positions of
leadership. Personality, physical, and mental characteristics were examined. This
research was based on the idea that leaders were bom, not made, and the key to
success was simply in identifying those people who were bom to be great leaders
(Homer, 1997).
Though much research was done to identify the traits, no clear answer was
found with regard to what traits consistently were associated with great leadership.
One flaw with this line of thought was in ignoring the situational and environmental
factors that play a role in a leaders level of effectiveness (Homer, 1997).
Furthermore, trait theory posits key traits for successful leadership (drive,
desire to lead, integrity, self-confidence, intelligence, and job-relevant knowledge)
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yet does not make a judgment as to whether these traits are inherent to individuals or
whether they can be developed through training and education. No two leaders are
alike, and no leader possesses all of the traits (Allen, 1998).
Behavioral theory. The early twentieth century fostered the development of a
more focused search for the basis of leaders. Behavioral theorists identified
determinants of leadership so that people could be trained to be leaders (Allen, 1998).
Researchers developed personality tests and compared the results against those
perceived to be leaders. By the 1940s, researchers had amassed very long lists of
traits from numerous psychologically oriented studies (Bird, 1940). This tactic had
two problems: First, the lists became longer and longer as research continued;
Second, the traits and characteristics identified were not powerful predictors across
situations (Van Wart, 2003).
This second major thrust, which looked at leader behaviors in an attempt to
determine what successful leaders do, not how they look to others, began to look at
leaders in context. That is, in context of the organization they work in, by identifying
behaviors leaders exhibit that increase the effectiveness of the company. Behavioral
theorists developed training programs to change managers leadership behaviors and
assume that the best styles of leadership could be learned (Allen, 1998). The wellknown and documented University o f Michigan and Ohio State leadership studies
took this approach (Homer, 1997).
Ohio State and University o f Michigan studies. The next major thrust was to
look at the situational contexts that affect leaders in order to find meaningful patterns
for theory building and useful advice. One of the most important reviews of the traits
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cited the first four characteristics as important in a leader (Kouzes and Posner, 1995).
Irrefutable laws o f leadership. Leadership theorist John Maxwell has
articulated irrefutable laws of leadership in his book The 21 Irrefutable Laws o f
Leadership (1998). Some of these laws are: leadership ability determines a persons
level of effectiveness; the true meaning of leadership is influence; leadership
develops daily, not in a day; anyone can steer the ship, but it takes a leader to chart
the course; trust is the foundation of leadership; people naturally follow leaders
stronger than themselves; good leaders are intuitive - they can read the situation,
trends, resources, people and themselves; who you are is whom you attract; leaders
touch a heart before they ask for a hand; a leaders potential is determined by those
closest to him or her; people buy into the leader, then the vision; leaders find ways for
the team to win - defeat is not an option; leaders can create momentum, but it is
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Facility
Care Center
32"" Street
Warm Friend
Home Care
Corporate
Did not indicate facility
Total
Frequency
88
31
16
9
8
2
154
Percent
57.1%
20.1
10.4
5.8
5.2
1.3
100.0
Table 2. The second table below (Table 2) breaks down employees by their
job status. The question reads as follows: What is your Job Status? From this table
one can gather that most of the employees who responded to the survey, 63.6%, were
full time employees. This table included all full time, part time, flexible,
temporary/seasonal, and unspecified employees. Job Status classification is as
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Job Status
Full time
Part time
Flexible
Temp/Seasonal
Did not indicate job status
Total
Frequency
98
47
4
2
3
154
Percent
63.6%
30.5
2.6
1.3
1.9
100.0
Table 2. Table 3 (below) broke down the survey results by department. The
question for Table 3 is as follows: In What Department Do You Work? From this
table it is recognized that just over half of the employees that partook in the survey
were Nursing/Health Services employees (53.2%). The Administration department
(13.6%) came in second to the Nursing/Health Services department, followed closely
by the Food Services staff (12.3%). There were ten employees who did not indicate
the department they worked in.
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Department
Nursing/Health Services
Food Services
Building Services
Social Services
Resident Life
Administration
Did not indicate department
Total
Frequency
82
19
11
2
9
21
10
154
Percent
53.2%
12.3
7.1
1.3
5.8
13.6
6.5
100.0
Table 4. Table 4 breaks down employee responses by the shift they work. The
question for Table 4 was: What Shift Do You Work? It was determined from these
results that most employees that participated in the survey were L* shift employees
(70.8%). These employees worked the day shift. For the Food Services, Building
Services, Social Services, Resident Life, and Administration departments, day/first
shift is approximately Sam to 5pm. For the Nursing/Health Services Departments,
day/first shift is approximately 7am to 3pm.
Table 4
Shift
L^/Days
2nd
3rd
Did not indicate shift
Total
Frequency
109
30
10
5
154
Percent
70.8%
19.5
6.5
3.2
100.0
Table 5. Table 5 is the employee survey results from questions that related to
supervisor relationships. There were 15 questions in direct relation to supervisor
relationships. Respondents were given a 5 point Likert Scale to answer the question.
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Question
Strongly
Agree
(1)
Agree
(2)
Neutral
(3)
Disagree
(4)
Strongly
Disagree
(5)
2004
Mean
15/9.7%
5/3.2%
1/0.6%
1.81
27/17.6
8/5.2
3/2.0
2.03
36/23.4
20/13.0
8/5.2
2.47
40/26.0
23/14.9
3/1.9
2.45
29/19.1
8/5.3
4/2.6
2.10
30/19.9
14/9.3
4/2.6
2.21
33/21.4
18/11.7
9/5.8
2.42
40/26.1
25/16.3
6/3.9
2.56
20/13.8
27/18.6
7/4.8
2.51
26/16.9
3/1.9
2/1.3
2.03
27/17.8
9/5.9
4/2.6
2.41
47/30.5
16/10.4
4/2.6
2.41
37/24.2
15/9.8
4/2.6
2.29
26/17.1
6/3.9
0/0.0
2.00
33/21.7
5/3.3
3/2.0
2.07
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mean score (lowest/least amount o f agreement) was placed in the first row of Table 6 .
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in the last row of Table 6 . The mean for all of the employee satisfaction survey
questions analyzed here (Table 6), regarding supervisor relationships ranked between
1 and 3. Possible rank values were between 1 and 5. These values were as follows: 1=
Strongly Agree, 2= Agree, 3= Neutral, 4= Disagree and 5= Strongly Disagree.
Below is Table 6 . It demonstrates the level of employee job satisfaction in
relation to supervisor relationships. Higher mean scores refleet lower employee
satisfaction. Lower mean scores denote greater satisfaction. For example, the highest
mean score (2.56) in Table 6 denotes the least, and almost neutral, amount/level of
satisfaction in relation to the question asked. The lowest mean score (1.81) in Table 6
denotes the greatest level of satisfaction.
Table 6
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2.56
2.51
2.47
2.45
2.42
2.41
2.29
2.21
2.10
2.09
2.07
2.03
2.03
2.00
1.81
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Schmidt, F.L., & Hunter, J.E. (1998). The validity and utility o f selection methods in
personnel psychology: Practical and theoretical implications of 85 years of research
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Stogdill, R.M. (1974). Handbook o f leadership: A survey o f theory and research.
New York: Free Press.
VanWart, Montgomery. (2003). Public-sector leadership theory: An assessment.
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Proquest Database.
Vroom, V.H. (1964). Work and motivation. New York: Wiley.
Vroom, V.H., & Yetton, P.W. (1973). Leadership and decision-making. Pittsburg,
Pennsylvania: University of Pittsburg Press.
Weber, Max. (1958). The protestant ethic and the spirit o f capitalism. Charles
Scribners sons: New York.
WordReference.com Dictionary. (2003). Retrieved November 11, 2003, from:
http://www.wordreference.com/definition/leadership
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