A study of city government leadership : an honors thesis [(HONRS 499)]

Abstract

A review of leadership research is presented with a focus on Path-Goal Theory. The purpose of the study then presented was to investigate the behavior styles of leaders in a City Government. Each of the leaders who participated in the study completed a questionnaire. From this questionnaire, the leader's predominant behavior style and perceived ambiguity in the work environment were determined. The results were used to examine relationships between: the method through which the leader obtained his/her position and the perceived ambiguity in the environment; the perceived ambiguity and the leader's behavior style; and finally, the leader's gender and behavior style. The results indicate that a leader who believes the work environment to be ambiguous will tend to act in an instrumental behavior style. Method of attainment did not seem to predict ambiguity levels. Finally, gender of the leader seemed to have no effect on behavioral style. These findings seem to support the Path-Goal Theory of leader effectiveness.