Notes on Theory and Research in Educational Administration

Abstract

INTRODUCTION The work of Lewin and his associates showed that the same groups of people behave in distinctly different ways under leaders whose styles differ. Subsequently, many researchers have stressed the efficiency of leadership that emphasizes consideration, mutual identification, and personal influence. Impressive evidence has been mustered in support of this position through a number of studies by staff members of the Child Welfare Research Station at Ohio University and the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan. These studies charted the reactions of a range of subjects to different types of supervision with the general objective of contrasting levels of performance associated with three leadership types. The performance criteria were productivity, inter and intra‐job movement, absenteeism, satisfaction with the job situation and personal motivation.