Citation
Subramaniam, Anusuiya
(2008)
Implicit Leadership Theory Among Malaysian Managers and its Impact on the Leader-Member Expectation Gap.
Masters thesis, Universiti Putra Malaysia.
Abstract
Implicit leadership theory (ILT) examines leadership as seen by followers while other
theories describe what leaders are or do. The main objective of this study is to identify
ILT among Malaysian managers and the impact of the expectation gap on leader member
exchange (LMX) quality and subsequently on the perception of job satisfaction
and turnover intention. This study's main research question is whether the different
ethnic groups in Malaysia are associated with different ILT. The relationship between
leadership expectation gap and the different ethnic groups in Malaysia was examined.
The effect of demographic dissimilarities (differences in ethnic background and
nationality of superior and subordinate) on the subordinates' leadership expectation gap
is also tested. Duration of subordinates' relationship with the superior was included as a
moderating variable in the leadership expectation gap - LMX quality relationships and
also in the demographic dissimilarities - leadership expectation gap relationships. LMX
quality was included as the mediating variable in the leadership expectation gap - work related
outcomes (job satisfaction and turnover intention) relationships. The individual subordinates who work under the supervision of Malaysian and Japanese
superiors were the units of analysis. The respondents were selected from Japanese
MNCs listed in the Japan-Malaysia Trade Directory Web Page and the questionnaires
were posted to employees of 5 Japanese MNCs listed in this directory. Purposive
sampling was used. Out of 200 distributed questionnaires, 137 were completed and
usable responses.
The results reveal that the different ethnic groups in Malaysia are associated with
different implicit leadership theories. Several results were contrary to expectations
where demographic dissimilarities did not have an effect on the subordinates' leadership
expectation gap. Duration of subordinates' relationship with the superior did have
moderating effects on the leadership expectation gap - LMX quality relationships, but
did not have moderating effects on the demographic dissimilarities - leadership
expectation gap relationships. LMX quality partially mediates the leadership expectation
gap-work-related outcomes (job satisfaction and turnover intention) relationships.
From the preliminary search of literature, there seems to be no study that explored the
Malaysian ILT. Thus, the present study provides a first real insight into the nature of ILT
among Malaysian managers. It specifical1y examined the relationship between
leadership expectation gap and LMX in Malaysia and its impact on job satisfaction and
turnover intention. In conclusion, this study can be a stepping stone for other researchers
to embark on studies concerning ILT in the Malaysian context.
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