Transformational leadership and moral reasoning.
Terms such as moral and ethical leadership are used widely in theory, yet little systematic research has related a sociomoral dimension to leadership in organizations. This study investigated whether managers' moral reasoning (n = 132) was associated with the transformational and transactional leadership behaviors they exhibited as perceived by their subordinates (n = 407). Managers completed the Defining Issues Test (J. R. Rest, 1990), whereas their subordinates completed the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (B. M. Bass & B. J. Avolio, 1995). Analysis of covariance indicated that managers scoring in the highest group of the moral-reasoning distribution exhibited more transformational leadership behaviors than leaders scoring in the lowest group. As expected, there was no relationship between moral-reasoning group and transactional leadership behaviors. Implications for leadership development are discussed.
Turner
Nick
N
Queen's School of Business, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada. nick.turner@sheffield.ac.uk
Barling
Julian
J
Epitropaki
Olga
O
Butcher
Vicky
V
Milner
Caroline
C
D000328:Adult; D003659:Decision Making, Organizational; D004291:Dominance-Subordination; D004989:Ethics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007857:Leadership; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009014:Morals; D015279:Organizational Culture; D010556:Personality Tests