García-Morales, V. J., Jiménez-Barrionuevo, M.
M., & Gutiérrez-Gutiérrez, L. (2012). Transformational leadership influence
on organizational performance through organizational learning and innovation. Journal
of Business Research, 65(7), 1040-1050. doi:10.1016/j.jbusres.2011.03.005
2.
This research paper is a recent work and examines the effects on transformational
leadership and internal innovation in achieving performance. Transformational
leadership has been identified as a type of leadership that brings success to
firms. It is well established that there
is a link between transformational leadership and firm performance, but how the
transformational leader achieves this is a key topic of research in
transformational leadership theory.
3. The purpose of the study is to examine the impact of
transformational leadership and its impact on firm performance by
encouraging internal innovation and knowledge acquisition. The sample comprised of 170
CEOs from a pool of over 5,000 Spanish companies from the automotive and
chemical industries who responded to mailed surveys.
The
results of Hypothesis 1 showed that “transformational leadership is closely
related to organizational learning” (García-Morales et al., 2012, p. 1045).
The results of Hypothesis 2 showed that “transformational leadership is
closely related to organizational innovation” (p. 1045). The results of Hypothesis 3 indicated that “organizational
learning influences organizational innovation” (p. 1046). Finally, the results
of Hypothesis 4 and 5 showed a “significant relationship between organizational
performance and organizational learning and innovation” (p. 1046).
4. García-Morales et al. (2012) used quantitative methods to assess the
link between transformational leadership’s impact on firm performance,
organizational innovation and learning as well as the link between
organizational innovation and learning on firm performance. Regression analysis and structural equations
modeling was used in analysis to measure correlations and estimate direct and
indirect effects. Transformational
leadership’s association to organizational learning was recorded as “y11=.74,
p<.001, R2=.55” (p.1045).
5. The key findings
from the García-Morales et al. (2012) study show
transformational leadership is strongly associated with organizational learning
and firm innovation. Hypothesis 1: “A
positive association exists between transformational leadership and
organizational learning (y11=.74, p<.001, R2=.55)”
(pp. 1041, 1045). These findings support
the hypothesis. Hypothesis 2: “A
positive association exists between transformational leadership and
organizational innovation (y21=.31, p<.001)” (pp. 1042,
1045). These findings support the
hypothesis. Hypothesis 3: “A positive association exists between
organizational learning and organizational innovation (?21=.21, p<.01)” (pp. 1043,
1045). These findings support the
hypothesis. Hypothesis 4: “A positive association exists between
organizational learning and organizational performance (?31=.39, p<.001)” (pp. 1042,
1045). These findings support the
hypothesis. Hypothesis 5: “A positive association exists between
organizational innovation and organizational performance (?32=.22, p<.001)” (pp. 1043,
1045). These findings support the
hypothesis.
6. The limitations
include (1) inherent subjectivity due to DEO self-reporting, (2) potential bias
using surveys versus live interviews, (3) common method variance bias, (4)
missed variability without the use of longitudinal research, (5) other causal
factors not considered such as “shared vision, teamwork or technology” (García-Morales et al., 2012, p. 1048).
Dionne, S. D., Yammarino, F. J., Atwater, L.
E., & Spangler, W. D. (2004). Transformational leadership and team
performance. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 17(2),
177-193. doi:10.1108/09534810410530601
2. This study theoretical foundational article examines
transformational
leadership and team performance. The
work focuses on the integration of transformational leadership theory and team performance
theory. Transformational leadership theory defines transformational leadership
from Bass and Avolio (as cited by Dionne et al., 2004) as “the four I’s: idealized influence/inspirational motivation,
intellectual stimulation and individualized consideration” (p. 182). It supposes that transformational leaders and
a positive causal factor on firm performance.
Team performance theory identifies teamwork processes that power team
performance. These processes include
cohesion, communication and conflict management
(p. 180). The work presents
evidence of the interconnectivity between transformational leadership theory
and team performance.
3. The purpose of the study is to contextualize
transformational theory within the framework of team performance. The
integration of both theories result in a conceptual posit that the “idealized
influence/inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation and individualized
consideration could produce intermediate outcomes such as shared vision, team
commitment, and empowered team environment” (p. 177).
4. The theoretical approach
appears to be constructivism. The
authors reference numerous scholars and their works on transformational
leadership theory and team performance theory and seek to link integration with
a new conceptualized model, creating a framework by which to measure such a
link. Dionne et al. (2004), wrote “transformational
leadership has been empirically linked to cohesion in the past. Specifically,
Carless et al. (1995) found that cohesion medicated a transformational
leadership relationship…we build our model on these previous empirical
findings, but delineate how intermediate outcomes associated with specific
dimensions of transformational leadership may further our understanding of…team
performance” (p. 183).
5. The transformational
leadership and team performance model supposes that (1) leader idealized
influence/inspirational motivation leads to cohesion, (2) leader individualed
consideration leads to team communication, (3) leader intellectual stimulation
leads to conflict management, all of which leads to teach performance (Dionne et al., 2004, p.187).
6. The limitations
include (1) a focus only three key teamwork process factors, (2) model may not
be applicable to team hybrids such as teams that cannot be easily categorized
into a specific structures.
References
Dionne, S. D., Yammarino, F. J., Atwater, L.
E., & Spangler, W. D. (2004). Transformational leadership and team
performance. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 17(2),
177-193. doi:10.1108/09534810410530601
García-Morales, V. J., Jiménez-Barrionuevo, M.
M., & Gutiérrez-Gutiérrez, L. (2012). Transformational leadership influence
on organizational performance through organizational learning and innovation. Journal
of Business Research, 65(7), 1040-1050.
doi:10.1016/j.jbusres.2011.03.005
.
