In this chapter the implications of the analysis results are discussed in the light of the literature reviewed in chapter 2 of this research. Research recommendations and conclusion are also included.
6.2 Implications and Recommendations
Empirical evidence seems to support the hypothesis that leadership style can affect the development of organizational commitment. These research findings suggest that transformational and transactional leadership behaviors are positively in relationship with affective, continuance and normative commitment. Both transformational and transactional leadership behaviors have almost similar influence on organizational commitment.
This indicates that transformational and transactional leadership behaviors were interdependent and have an interactive effect on organizational commitment. Depending on the situation, these two types of leadership behaviors can be displayed simultaneously in order for change to occur in organizational commitment. Therefore, managers might be able to increase employees’ levels of organizational commitment especially the affective commitment by improving both transformational and transactional leadership behaviors. This is critical to the organization as affective commitment results in better performance and more meaningful contributions than normative commitment and continuance commitment (Meyer & Allen, 1997).
The study supports Bass (1985a) views that transformational and transactional leadership paradigms comprise of complementary rather than polar constructs, with transformational leadership building on transactional leadership, but not vice versa. Bass recognizes that both styles may be linked to the achievement of desired goals and objectives. Bass, Avolio and Goodheim (1987) also viewed that the two styles are complementary in the sense that transformational leadership style is ineffective in the total absence of a transactional relationship between leaders and subordinates.
Because transformational and transactional leadership styles have been found to have a significant positive relationship with organizational commitment, the organization should attempt to develop these two leadership styles within their environment as committed employees are most desirable. By implementing programs that encourage leaders to develop transformational and transactional leadership styles, the organization will be able to improve the commitment levels of its employees.
Organizations that require their employees to develop organizational commitment should provide comprehensive training that will encourage leadership to exhibit leadership behaviors such as building trust, inspiring a shared vision, encouraging creativity, emphasizing development, and recognizing accomplishments. Leaders can play a role in building commitment by assuring that the organization makes effort to address both the work content and the work context by engaging in management practices to minimize employee alienation. They should demonstrate their commitment to the employees by sharing information, provide for the development and growth of employees within the organization and offer more than market related incentives.
In this era of empowered employees and teams, leaders still need to communicate to their subordinates the sense that the organization respects them and values the contributions that they make.
As far as this research is concerned, an enlargement of the sample of the study in other business fields would be highly desirable. In this regard, similar studies at other manufacturing facilities would seem appropriate. SSP should perform a detailed study to evaluate the exact leadership style currently being practiced so that relevant training can be provided to encourage a leadership style which is appropriate to the development of organizational commitment.
6.3 Conclusion
The main objective of this research was to investigate the relationship between leadership styles and organizational commitment styles in Saudi Steel Pipes. Let us just assume that this research concluded that the transformational leadership was positively related with organizational commitment; affective, continuance and normative. The strongest relationship was seen with affective commitment. This means that leadership behaviors which involve engendering trust, inspiring a shared vision, generating enthusiasm, encouraging creativity, providing coaching and recognizing accomplishments, do explain the variation in how employees feel about wanting to stay with the organization and do explain some of the variation in how employees feel about needing to, or feeling obligated to, stay with the organization. The more they display and practice these behaviors, the more employees may want to, need to, or feel obligated to stay.
Transactional leadership had a positive relationship with affective, continuance, and normative commitment. While transformational leadership is seen affecting the affective commitment mostly, the transactional leadership is found affecting mostly both continuous and normative commitment. This means that leadership behaviors, which involve motivating employees through rewards, monitoring and clarifying roles explain to good extent the variation in how employees feel about needing to or feeling obligated to, stay with the organization. Managers may be able to improve their transactional leadership behaviors by giving negative feedback in a
timely manner and using language that is both clarifying and encouraging. These findings also reveal that the laissez-faire leadership has a negative relationship with affective, continuous and normative commitment. This means that leadership behaviors, which involve avoiding getting involved when problems arise, avoid decision making, and inactiveness will negatively impact on organizational commitment especially on normative commitment. This explains some of the variation in how employees feel about not obligated to stay with the organization.
Overall findings from this study suggest that transformational, transactional and laissez-faire leadership styles do play important roles in determining levels of affective commitment, continuance commitment and normative commitment in Saudi Steel Pipes.
