Ledarskap - ett kugghjul i maskineriet! - En flermetodsstudie om ledarskap inom industrin

Abstract

There seems to be a lack in research studies concerning leadership within the manufacturing industry, especially regarding transformational and transactional leadership and also the relationships between managers and co-workers. Looking into the work organization of the manufacturing industry, often controlled by lean production principles and just-in-time production, one could assume that the transactional leadership is desired. However, research suggests that the transformational leadership is the most successful leadership within the industry. Regarding the relationships between co-workers and managers within the manufacturing industry, it is of importance to have good relationships in order for both co-workers and managers to perceive the leadership as well-functioning. This, in turn, can lead to organizational performance. The aim of this study is therefore to investigate what characterizes the relationship between managers and co-workers and which type of leadership that is desired. To do this, we use the theory of transactional and transformational leadership and also leader-member exchange theory. We use mixed methods research to gain knowledge within the field, conducting a survey answered by co-workers and three interviews with their managers, all within the same manufacturing company. Hence, our empirical data consists of answers from the survey, which 58 co-workers accomplished, and three interviews. The results show that the quality of the LMX relationships between the co-workers and managers mostly is high and that the managers are perceived as transformational, both by themselves and by their co-workers. Furthermore, we can identify three out of four dimensions of the transformational leadership, which could indicate that it is not completely achieved. However, research shows that transformational leadership exists within the manufacturing industry, which is why we believe that all dimensions do not have to be fully achieved in order to be transformational. As a conclusion, the result seems to indicate that LMX works as a mediator for transformational leadership, in other words the quality of the relationship between the co-worker and manager seems to be deciding whether the manager is transformational or not.