The influence of contemporary leadership styles on the job satisfaction and organisational commitment of SME employees
- Authors: Kupangwa, Welcome
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Leadership , Job satisfaction , Organizational commitment , Business enterprises -- Employees
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: vital:9013 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1018508
- Description: Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have the potential to enhance economic growth and innovation, create jobs, assist large businesses in the distribution of goods and services, and stimulate competition in the economy. However, SMEs face several challenges that influence their longevity, growth, and success. Poor leadership has been highlighted as influencing the job satisfaction and organisational commitment levels of employees, ultimately contributing to employee turnover and SME failure. This study mentions the dishonest, selfish and corrupt nature of modern leadership and identifies a gap in the literature regarding the practice of leadership, especially among South African SMEs. Against this background, the primary objective of this study was to assess the levels of several contemporary leadership styles displayed by SME owners, namely Servant, Authentic, Ethical and Participative leadership, and to investigate their influence on the Job satisfaction and Organisational commitment levels of employees working in SMEs in the Eastern Cape. A quantitative research paradigm was adopted and a sample was drawn from employees working in SMEs in the Eastern Cape Province. The selection of the sample was done using judgement and convenience sampling. A cross-sectional survey using a structured questionnaire was undertaken, and a total of 236 usable questionnaires were returned on which to undertake the statistical analysis. In order to assess the validity of the dependent variables, namely Job satisfaction and Organisational commitment, tests for uni-dimensionality (using factor analysis) were undertaken. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was undertaken on the independent variables and four factors were extracted, which corresponded with the theoretical dimensions of Relational leadership, Participative leadership, Servant leadership and Ethical leadership. The items intended to measure Authentic leadership did not load as expected, but a factor named Relational leadership emerged as a result of several items measuring Ethical and Servant leadership loading together. All the independent and dependent variables returned Cronbach’s alpha coefficients of greater than 0.7. As such, sufficient evidence of validity and reliability for the scales measuring the dependent and the independent variables was provided. The data collected was also subjected to several statistical analyses. These included descriptive statistics, Pearson’s product moment correlations, multiple regression analyses, and analysis of variance (ANOVA). The majority of respondents agreed that they experienced Job satisfaction in the SMEs in which they were employed and that they were committed to these businesses. Relational leadership returned the highest mean score while the lowest score was returned for Participative leadership. The majority of respondents also agreed that the SME owners for whom they worked displayed the leadership styles under investigation. All the independent variables were significantly and positively correlated with the dependent variables, Job satisfaction and Organisational commitment. In addition, significant positive correlations were reported between all the independent variables. The multiple regression analyses revealed that three of the four leadership styles investigated in this study had a significant positive influence on both the Job satisfaction and Organisational commitment levels of employees working in the SMEs. These leadership styles were Servant, Relational, and Ethical leadership. In addition, the results of this study showed that Job satisfaction mediates the relationship between Servant, Relational and Ethical leadership, and the Organisational commitment displayed by employees working in SMEs, but does not mediate the relationship between Participative leadership and Organisational commitment. The findings also showed that the demographic variables investigated in this study had no influence on how SME employees perceived the Servant and Relational leadership behaviours of SME owners. However, the results showed that female respondents perceived SME owners as displaying a Participative leadership style more so than male employees did. The findings also revealed that employees with a post-matric qualification perceived that SME owners displayed higher levels of Participative leadership than those without a post-matric qualification. In addition, the ANOVA revealed that White respondents perceived that SME owners exhibited more ethical behaviours than Black respondents did. Given the findings of this study, several recommendations were put forward to enhance the levels of Servant, Relational and Ethical leadership among SME owners, and to ultimately enhance the levels of Job satisfaction and Organisational commitment experienced by their employees. As such SME owners were provided with practical recommendations on how to attract and retain employees by adopting appropriate leadership behaviours. Employees play a vital role in achieving the goals and vision of a business. Satisfied and committed employees put more effort into ensuring the goals and vision of the business are achieved, contributing to business success and ultimately the economy as a whole.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
- Authors: Kupangwa, Welcome
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Leadership , Job satisfaction , Organizational commitment , Business enterprises -- Employees
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: vital:9013 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1018508
- Description: Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have the potential to enhance economic growth and innovation, create jobs, assist large businesses in the distribution of goods and services, and stimulate competition in the economy. However, SMEs face several challenges that influence their longevity, growth, and success. Poor leadership has been highlighted as influencing the job satisfaction and organisational commitment levels of employees, ultimately contributing to employee turnover and SME failure. This study mentions the dishonest, selfish and corrupt nature of modern leadership and identifies a gap in the literature regarding the practice of leadership, especially among South African SMEs. Against this background, the primary objective of this study was to assess the levels of several contemporary leadership styles displayed by SME owners, namely Servant, Authentic, Ethical and Participative leadership, and to investigate their influence on the Job satisfaction and Organisational commitment levels of employees working in SMEs in the Eastern Cape. A quantitative research paradigm was adopted and a sample was drawn from employees working in SMEs in the Eastern Cape Province. The selection of the sample was done using judgement and convenience sampling. A cross-sectional survey using a structured questionnaire was undertaken, and a total of 236 usable questionnaires were returned on which to undertake the statistical analysis. In order to assess the validity of the dependent variables, namely Job satisfaction and Organisational commitment, tests for uni-dimensionality (using factor analysis) were undertaken. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was undertaken on the independent variables and four factors were extracted, which corresponded with the theoretical dimensions of Relational leadership, Participative leadership, Servant leadership and Ethical leadership. The items intended to measure Authentic leadership did not load as expected, but a factor named Relational leadership emerged as a result of several items measuring Ethical and Servant leadership loading together. All the independent and dependent variables returned Cronbach’s alpha coefficients of greater than 0.7. As such, sufficient evidence of validity and reliability for the scales measuring the dependent and the independent variables was provided. The data collected was also subjected to several statistical analyses. These included descriptive statistics, Pearson’s product moment correlations, multiple regression analyses, and analysis of variance (ANOVA). The majority of respondents agreed that they experienced Job satisfaction in the SMEs in which they were employed and that they were committed to these businesses. Relational leadership returned the highest mean score while the lowest score was returned for Participative leadership. The majority of respondents also agreed that the SME owners for whom they worked displayed the leadership styles under investigation. All the independent variables were significantly and positively correlated with the dependent variables, Job satisfaction and Organisational commitment. In addition, significant positive correlations were reported between all the independent variables. The multiple regression analyses revealed that three of the four leadership styles investigated in this study had a significant positive influence on both the Job satisfaction and Organisational commitment levels of employees working in the SMEs. These leadership styles were Servant, Relational, and Ethical leadership. In addition, the results of this study showed that Job satisfaction mediates the relationship between Servant, Relational and Ethical leadership, and the Organisational commitment displayed by employees working in SMEs, but does not mediate the relationship between Participative leadership and Organisational commitment. The findings also showed that the demographic variables investigated in this study had no influence on how SME employees perceived the Servant and Relational leadership behaviours of SME owners. However, the results showed that female respondents perceived SME owners as displaying a Participative leadership style more so than male employees did. The findings also revealed that employees with a post-matric qualification perceived that SME owners displayed higher levels of Participative leadership than those without a post-matric qualification. In addition, the ANOVA revealed that White respondents perceived that SME owners exhibited more ethical behaviours than Black respondents did. Given the findings of this study, several recommendations were put forward to enhance the levels of Servant, Relational and Ethical leadership among SME owners, and to ultimately enhance the levels of Job satisfaction and Organisational commitment experienced by their employees. As such SME owners were provided with practical recommendations on how to attract and retain employees by adopting appropriate leadership behaviours. Employees play a vital role in achieving the goals and vision of a business. Satisfied and committed employees put more effort into ensuring the goals and vision of the business are achieved, contributing to business success and ultimately the economy as a whole.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
The relationship between employer branding and organisational commitment
- Authors: Tryfonos, Angelique
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Corporate culture , Organizational commitment , Psychology, Industrial
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9419 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1021146
- Description: The aim of this study was to determine whether a relationship exists between organisational commitment (OC) and employer branding (EB). The purpose was to Identifying whether employer branding effects organisational commitment (affective, normative and continuance commitment) and how significant that effect may be. Questionnaires were personally distributed by the researcher directly to employees under study. Non-probability sampling was used in the form of judgement sampling. The sample consisted of 124 employees from various retail outlets throughout Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape. Five hypotheses were set for evaluation. A practically significant relationship was established between organisational commitment (OC) and employer branding (EB). A small practically significant relationship was found between gender and normative commitment. A medium practically significant relationship was found between gender and training and development as well as between gender and work/life balance. Statistically significant relationships were discovered with regards to age and leadership and also between age and rewards and recognition. A statistically significant difference was established between age and overall employer branding (EB). These findings suggest that a more positive employer brand will lead to improved organisational commitment (OC). More so, retail organisations aiming to improve on organisational commitment should incorporate those employer branding (EB) factors which employees’ place greater emphasis on, within their employer brand, which in turn will lead to greater organisational commitment.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
- Authors: Tryfonos, Angelique
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Corporate culture , Organizational commitment , Psychology, Industrial
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:9419 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1021146
- Description: The aim of this study was to determine whether a relationship exists between organisational commitment (OC) and employer branding (EB). The purpose was to Identifying whether employer branding effects organisational commitment (affective, normative and continuance commitment) and how significant that effect may be. Questionnaires were personally distributed by the researcher directly to employees under study. Non-probability sampling was used in the form of judgement sampling. The sample consisted of 124 employees from various retail outlets throughout Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape. Five hypotheses were set for evaluation. A practically significant relationship was established between organisational commitment (OC) and employer branding (EB). A small practically significant relationship was found between gender and normative commitment. A medium practically significant relationship was found between gender and training and development as well as between gender and work/life balance. Statistically significant relationships were discovered with regards to age and leadership and also between age and rewards and recognition. A statistically significant difference was established between age and overall employer branding (EB). These findings suggest that a more positive employer brand will lead to improved organisational commitment (OC). More so, retail organisations aiming to improve on organisational commitment should incorporate those employer branding (EB) factors which employees’ place greater emphasis on, within their employer brand, which in turn will lead to greater organisational commitment.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
The relationship between organisational commitment, work engagement and turnover intentions
- Authors: Robinson, Nicole Dianne
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Social responsibility of business , Organizational commitment , Labor turnover
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/6582 , vital:21119
- Description: “The question of employee turnover has come to gain greater attention especially in the 21st century where organisations all over the world, in various industries, have faced this problem at some stages of their evolution” (Zahra et al, 2013:78). Turnover intentions have further become a vital study for organisations and researchers as research has found that once an employee has actually implemented the behaviour to quit, it is highly unlikely that an employer will be able to “gain access to them to understand their prior situation” (Darroux, Johnathan & Thibeli, 2013:78). Several studies have been devoted to examine the impact of various factors such as organisational commitment, work engagement, age, gender and tenure on turnover intentions in an attempt to assist organisations in alleviating the challenges associated with turnover (Darroux, Johnathan & Thibeli, 2013). The results of these studies have continually shown that both work engagement and organisational commitment have a significant effect on turnover intentions (Yin & Yang, 2002; Meyer, Stanley, Herscovitch & Topolnytsky, 2002 and Tett & Meyer, 1993).
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
- Authors: Robinson, Nicole Dianne
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Social responsibility of business , Organizational commitment , Labor turnover
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/6582 , vital:21119
- Description: “The question of employee turnover has come to gain greater attention especially in the 21st century where organisations all over the world, in various industries, have faced this problem at some stages of their evolution” (Zahra et al, 2013:78). Turnover intentions have further become a vital study for organisations and researchers as research has found that once an employee has actually implemented the behaviour to quit, it is highly unlikely that an employer will be able to “gain access to them to understand their prior situation” (Darroux, Johnathan & Thibeli, 2013:78). Several studies have been devoted to examine the impact of various factors such as organisational commitment, work engagement, age, gender and tenure on turnover intentions in an attempt to assist organisations in alleviating the challenges associated with turnover (Darroux, Johnathan & Thibeli, 2013). The results of these studies have continually shown that both work engagement and organisational commitment have a significant effect on turnover intentions (Yin & Yang, 2002; Meyer, Stanley, Herscovitch & Topolnytsky, 2002 and Tett & Meyer, 1993).
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
- «
- ‹
- 1
- ›
- »