A STUDY OF LEADERSHIP STYLE, SITUATION FAVORABLENESS, AND THE RISK TAKING BEHAVIOR OF LEADERS

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1108/eb009794
Published date01 February 1978
Date01 February 1978
Pages160-168
AuthorWILLIAM H. HOLLOWAY,GHULAM A. NIAZI
Subject MatterEducation
THE JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION
VOLUME XVI, NUMBER 2 OCTOBER, 1978
A STUDY OF LEADERSHIP STYLE, SITUATION
FAVORABLENESS, AND THE RISK TAKING BEHAVIOR
OF LEADERS
WILLIAM H. HOLLOWAY AND GHULAM A. NIAZI
The purpose of this study was to investigate the risk taking behavior of school principals
(the dependent variable) identified according to one of two leadership styles by Fielder's
Esteem for Least Preferred Co-worker instrument. Situation specific dilemmas were
formulated for the study in a newly developed instrument which manipulated two situation
specific independent variables (position power and group support). The findings support
the contention that situation variables have a significant effect on the risk disposition
of school leaders though no evidence was found to suggest that leader type (task oriented
or relations oriented) may be determined by manifest differences in either observed risk
disposition or computed risk shift.
INTRODUCTION
Educational leaders within the same organization and across different
organizations continue to reveal manifest differences in their decision
making behavior under risk. Some individuals, for example, en-
thusiastically accept responsibility for the conduct of innovative projects
while others refuse outright or accept responsibility only with con-
siderable reluctance. Inter-organizational variation in this regard would
invite conjecture about organizational effect; however, the existence of
intra-organizational variation discourages such inferences and suggests
that researchers must begin to look for sources within the organization
and among individuals.
To the extent that increased risk disposition is a valued commodity,
does one look for particular types of leaders or is risk propensity a
function of some dimension of the system? Some organizations, for
example highly innovative schools, are high risk enterprises. Should it
be expected that a high proportion of the leadership will be found with
a particular attribute in common, or, is there a facet of organizational
setting which fosters or facilitates such behavior?
PROBLEM
The literature on leadership clearly indicates that two leadership styles
WILLIAM H. HOLLOWAY is Director, Office of Administrative and Instructional
Development Services, University of Kansas. He holds the degrees of B.S., M.A. (Central
Michigan) and Ph.D. (Michigan State). Dr. Holloway has published extensively including
numerous pieces related to the use of computers in education.
GHULAM A. NIAZI holds the degrees of B.A., M.A. (Ed.) (Punjab) and Ph.D. (Kansas).
D.
Niazi is Education Advisor, Curriculum Wing, Ministry of Education, Islamabad,
Pakistan. He was awarded a Fulbright-Hays Full Study Award to the U.S.A. from 1970-73;
in 1977 he participated in the East-West Center programme in Honolulu, Hawaii.

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