Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the link between transformational/transactional/passive-avoidant leadership behaviors, teachers’ perceptions of leader effectiveness and teachers’ job satisfaction. In this context, the paper also examines the conceptual model underlying the scales of the most widely used instrument in research on transformational leadership, the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ). The theoretical framework for this investigation is that of the full range model of leadership.
Design/methodology/approach
– An adapted version of the MLQ was administered to a sample of 438 secondary school teachers in the Republic of Cyprus. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling were used in the analysis of the data.
Findings
– The results provide support for a three-factor structure model consisting of transformational, transactional and passive-avoidant forms of leadership, representing three distinct components of leadership behavior. Teachers’ perceptions of leader effectiveness and teachers’ overall job satisfaction were found to be significantly linked to the leadership behaviors included in the full range model of leadership.
Research limitations/implications
– The findings are cross-sectional and based on the subjective perceptions of teachers. The analysis of the data suggests that transformational leadership may not be a sufficient condition for (perceived) headteacher effectiveness.
Originality/value
– The link between transformational leadership, perceived leader effectiveness and teachers’ overall job satisfaction has not been investigated in many studies. The present study attempts to address this gap.
The paper presents the findings of a study of the decision-making process which precedes the choice of a university in Greece. Specifically, the degree of rationality exhibited by prospective students is assessed in an attempt to provide a test for the economic approach to the explanation of human behaviour. Information search is used as an indication of rationality and measured through a survey conducted among 220 university students in the academic year 2003/2004. The findings provide weak support for the rationality postulate in that they indicate that more than 40% of respondents could not be classified as information seekers. Logistic regression analysis was used in order to identify characteristics associated with the propensity to engage in information search: high socioeconomic status students, students who perceived the decision as important, and students who had acquired information prior to the choice of a university were found to be more likely to engage in information search. The paper draws attention to the limitations of the economic rational man model of human behaviour and discusses the implications of the findings for the promotional strategy of universities.
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