Structural barriers to transformational leadership and the influence of internal organisational context

This thesis explores the potential structural barriers to transformational leadership and the influence of organisational context. Qualitative research was undertaken across two case study firms using grounded research (Glaser & Strauss, 1967; Whiteley, 2004).A number of themes emerged which col...

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Main Author: Blyth, David Ian
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: Curtin University 2010
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/569
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author Blyth, David Ian
author_facet Blyth, David Ian
author_sort Blyth, David Ian
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description This thesis explores the potential structural barriers to transformational leadership and the influence of organisational context. Qualitative research was undertaken across two case study firms using grounded research (Glaser & Strauss, 1967; Whiteley, 2004).A number of themes emerged which collectively describe a range of structural barriers to transformational leadership. The empirical evidence of this research highlights the structural barriers and the influence of organisational context on transformational leadership. The themes that emerged and are discussed in this thesis include: understanding and influence of the strategic context; clarity of direction; organisational design; control systems; role context; the change dynamic within the organisation; the degree of empowerment; the organisational culture; the relational context; and the lack of time.From these emergent themes and incorporating the extant literature a number of second order insights also emerged. In particular, the thesis examines the interplay between the levels of work and the nature of transformational leadership; the notion of ‘nested leadership’ where the leader’s leader plays a much stronger role than simple role modelling; and the emergence of a new holism, wherein the dynamic interplay between transactional and transformational leadership is exploredThe research confirms what Fiedler and others have suggested: “we can design situations that allow leaders to utilize their intellectual abilities, expertise and experience more effectively” (Fiedler, 1996, p. 249).
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-5692017-02-20T06:41:05Z Structural barriers to transformational leadership and the influence of internal organisational context Blyth, David Ian transactional leadership structural barriers organisational culture transformational leadership organisational design This thesis explores the potential structural barriers to transformational leadership and the influence of organisational context. Qualitative research was undertaken across two case study firms using grounded research (Glaser & Strauss, 1967; Whiteley, 2004).A number of themes emerged which collectively describe a range of structural barriers to transformational leadership. The empirical evidence of this research highlights the structural barriers and the influence of organisational context on transformational leadership. The themes that emerged and are discussed in this thesis include: understanding and influence of the strategic context; clarity of direction; organisational design; control systems; role context; the change dynamic within the organisation; the degree of empowerment; the organisational culture; the relational context; and the lack of time.From these emergent themes and incorporating the extant literature a number of second order insights also emerged. In particular, the thesis examines the interplay between the levels of work and the nature of transformational leadership; the notion of ‘nested leadership’ where the leader’s leader plays a much stronger role than simple role modelling; and the emergence of a new holism, wherein the dynamic interplay between transactional and transformational leadership is exploredThe research confirms what Fiedler and others have suggested: “we can design situations that allow leaders to utilize their intellectual abilities, expertise and experience more effectively” (Fiedler, 1996, p. 249). 2010 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/569 en Curtin University fulltext
spellingShingle transactional leadership
structural barriers
organisational culture
transformational leadership
organisational design
Blyth, David Ian
Structural barriers to transformational leadership and the influence of internal organisational context
title Structural barriers to transformational leadership and the influence of internal organisational context
title_full Structural barriers to transformational leadership and the influence of internal organisational context
title_fullStr Structural barriers to transformational leadership and the influence of internal organisational context
title_full_unstemmed Structural barriers to transformational leadership and the influence of internal organisational context
title_short Structural barriers to transformational leadership and the influence of internal organisational context
title_sort structural barriers to transformational leadership and the influence of internal organisational context
topic transactional leadership
structural barriers
organisational culture
transformational leadership
organisational design
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/569