Investigating the role of transformational leadership in employee motivation and job satisfaction at an academic institution

Abstract

Leadership effectiveness is reliant on, and indeed often defined in terms of, leaders' ability to motivate followers towards a collective goal, mission, or vision (Chemers, 2001). The logical implication of this proposition is that, to understand leadership effectiveness, we need to understand leadership's effects on followers. The association between transformational leadership, employee motivation and job satisfaction is well-documented. However, these relationships were never tested in a University of Technology in South Africa. This study seeks to fill this void. The primary objective of this study was to determine the relationship between transformational leadership, motivation and job satisfaction of employees tested in a University of Technology in South Africa. Following a quantitative approach, this study utilises cross sectional design and a convenience sample to reach its objective. The findings suggest that all variables considered in this study is statistical significant related to one another. In addition, the results revealed that transformational leadership characteristics account for 27% of the variance in Work Self Determination Motivation (WSDM) with role modelling , goal acceptance and performance expectations proving to be the only statistical significant predictors of Work Self Determination Motivation. Transformational leadership characteristics account for 16% of the variance in Non-Work Non-Self Determination Motivation (NWSDM) with performance expectation proving to be statistical significant predictor of Non-Work Non-Self Determination Motivation. Characteristics of transformational leadership also explained 29% of the variance in extrinsic job satisfaction with vision articulation and goal acceptance proving to be statistical significant predictors of the dependent variable. However, with the inclusion of WSDM and NWSDM in the second model the variance explained in extrinsic job satisfaction increased by 10% to 39% with vision articulation, goal acceptance, WSDM and NWSDM proving to be the only statistical significant predictor of subjective extrinsic job satisfaction. Characteristics of transformational leadership also explained 39% (large practical significance) of the variance in intrinsic job satisfaction with vision articulation and goal acceptance proving to be statistical significant predictors of the dependent variable. However, with the inclusion of WSDM and NWSDM in the second model the variance explained in extrinsic job satisfaction increased by 4% to 43% with WSDM proving to be the only statistical significant predictor of intrinsic job satisfaction. Recommendation for organisation and future research are provided.