Relationship between Leadership and Characteristics of Learning Organizations in Deployed Military Units: An Exploratory Study
Previous research has shown that military units operating in the context of risky missions display the characteristics of a Learning Organization. The present work provides preliminary exploratory evidence about the association between Learning Organization characteristics and leadership styles used...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2013-09-01
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| Series: | Administrative Sciences |
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| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/2076-3387/3/3/143 |
| _version_ | 1819183271161888768 |
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| author | Eileen Van Aken Geert Letens Raffaella Di Schiena Jennifer Farris |
| author_facet | Eileen Van Aken Geert Letens Raffaella Di Schiena Jennifer Farris |
| author_sort | Eileen Van Aken |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Previous research has shown that military units operating in the context of risky missions display the characteristics of a Learning Organization. The present work provides preliminary exploratory evidence about the association between Learning Organization characteristics and leadership styles used by military leaders in the field. Based on the literature, we hypothesized that higher Learning Organization characteristics would be associated with a more transformational style of leadership that inspires followers. With this purpose, the five characteristics of a Learning Organization as defined by Peter Senge (Systems Thinking, Team Learning, Shared Vision, Mental Models, and Personal Mastery) and leadership styles as defined by the multifactor leadership model of Bass and Avolio (Transformational, Transactional, and Passive-Avoidant), were measured among commanding officers who had recently served in a mission abroad. Associations with organizational outcomes (Extra-Effort, Effectiveness, and Satisfaction) were also investigated for both Learning Organization characteristics and leadership styles. The correlations showed that Learning Organization characteristics were highly related to Transformational leadership dimensions, and also with Transactional leadership based on Contingent Rewards; meanwhile no association was found with a Passive-Avoidant leadership. Organizational outcomes were also related to Transformational leadership, Contingent Rewards and to various characteristics of a Learning Organization. Implications of these results, as well as avenues for future research, are also discussed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T22:59:22Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f18b649f7e364b0da29043af04b00d01 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3387 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T22:59:22Z |
| publishDate | 2013-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Administrative Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-f18b649f7e364b0da29043af04b00d012022-12-21T18:09:44ZengMDPI AGAdministrative Sciences2076-33872013-09-013314316510.3390/admsci3030143Relationship between Leadership and Characteristics of Learning Organizations in Deployed Military Units: An Exploratory StudyEileen Van AkenGeert LetensRaffaella Di SchienaJennifer FarrisPrevious research has shown that military units operating in the context of risky missions display the characteristics of a Learning Organization. The present work provides preliminary exploratory evidence about the association between Learning Organization characteristics and leadership styles used by military leaders in the field. Based on the literature, we hypothesized that higher Learning Organization characteristics would be associated with a more transformational style of leadership that inspires followers. With this purpose, the five characteristics of a Learning Organization as defined by Peter Senge (Systems Thinking, Team Learning, Shared Vision, Mental Models, and Personal Mastery) and leadership styles as defined by the multifactor leadership model of Bass and Avolio (Transformational, Transactional, and Passive-Avoidant), were measured among commanding officers who had recently served in a mission abroad. Associations with organizational outcomes (Extra-Effort, Effectiveness, and Satisfaction) were also investigated for both Learning Organization characteristics and leadership styles. The correlations showed that Learning Organization characteristics were highly related to Transformational leadership dimensions, and also with Transactional leadership based on Contingent Rewards; meanwhile no association was found with a Passive-Avoidant leadership. Organizational outcomes were also related to Transformational leadership, Contingent Rewards and to various characteristics of a Learning Organization. Implications of these results, as well as avenues for future research, are also discussed.http://www.mdpi.com/2076-3387/3/3/143leadershipmilitarylearning organization |
| spellingShingle | Eileen Van Aken Geert Letens Raffaella Di Schiena Jennifer Farris Relationship between Leadership and Characteristics of Learning Organizations in Deployed Military Units: An Exploratory Study Administrative Sciences leadership military learning organization |
| title | Relationship between Leadership and Characteristics of Learning Organizations in Deployed Military Units: An Exploratory Study |
| title_full | Relationship between Leadership and Characteristics of Learning Organizations in Deployed Military Units: An Exploratory Study |
| title_fullStr | Relationship between Leadership and Characteristics of Learning Organizations in Deployed Military Units: An Exploratory Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Relationship between Leadership and Characteristics of Learning Organizations in Deployed Military Units: An Exploratory Study |
| title_short | Relationship between Leadership and Characteristics of Learning Organizations in Deployed Military Units: An Exploratory Study |
| title_sort | relationship between leadership and characteristics of learning organizations in deployed military units an exploratory study |
| topic | leadership military learning organization |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/2076-3387/3/3/143 |
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