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Keywords
Leadership, Taiwan, Organizational effectiveness, National cultures
Abstract
The path-goal theory of leadership states that the leader helps subordinates to achieve their goals by providing a clear path for them to follow. This research project used data collected in Taiwan to test the applicability of this theory in a nonwestern culture. The three groups of subjects studied (peers, managers and subordinates), perceived the level of task structure to be equivalent. Three aspects of leadership were measured: instrumental, supportive and participative leadership. Leaders reported that they used each style of leadership at a statistical significantly higher level than their peers believed. Two dimensions of motivation were also considered: efforts that lead to performance and efforts that lead to rewards. Overall, the results provide some support for the path-goal theory of leadership. The theory was supported for the relationship between managers and subordinates but not supported for the relationship between managers and peers.
This study analyzed the leadership behavior and processes of managers in a sample of Taiwan companies using the path-goal theory (House, 1971). Research regarding leadership styles is highly important to Taiwan's industrial organizations. Taiwan is in a unique position in that industrial development was very rapid and occurred without a parallel increase in management education. Taiwan is a newly industrialized country and the use of modern or new management techniques have not always occurred. Organizational change is often slow to occur, so hopefully the findings of this research will be valuable. Of particular interest was whether Taiwanese managers are able to adjust their leadership style and behavior in order to compensate for changes in the work environment. Further, it was important to see how the adjustments that a manager makes impact subordinates' job satisfaction and performance. Research regarding leadership styles is highly important to Taiwan's industrial organizations. Taiwan is in a unique position in that industrial development was very rapid and occurred without a parallel increase in management education. A review of the research literature yields no studies that have tested this particular leadership theory in Asia, let alone Taiwan.
The path-goal theory developed by House (1971) and revised over the next several years (e.g. House, 1999), argues that leaders can adjust their own behaviors to adapt to contingencies and...