Leading blue collar workers: a practice oriented research to improve leadership within a mechanistic organisation

摘要: This study examined the effect of leadership and feedback on employee commitment departmental performance in order to give recommendations for improvements. A practice oriented research was carried out among five production departments company X, Netherlands. It argued by transformational theorists that best leaders are both relations-oriented task-oriented. In other words, transactional. However, previous indicated need become more be effective. can explained model Full Range Leadership. The behaviours (i.e. Idealized Influence, Inspirational Motivation, Intellectual Stimulation Individualized Consideration) seen as most effective, followed Contingent Reward (CR), Management-by-Exception Active (MBE-A), Management-by-exception Passive (MBE-P), Laissez Faire (LF) which is ineffective behaviour. Furthermore, CR active behaviours, MBE-P LF passive behaviours. belongs also domain, but contrast CR, MBE-A could ineffective. Feedback an essential part process leading employees towards Theories engage transactional MBE-P) providing contingent exceptional go beyond this Therefore, included research. The effectiveness measured many ways. it had been chosen measure supervisors means key indicators (KPI’s) commitment. Moreover, because suggested besides global foci, like organisational commitment, foci work related should considered, three were criterion variables: job would have strongest influence affective employees’ desire remain, organisations benefit from committed employees. Company X interested feeling obligation known normative base bases departmental, included. In a questionnaire developed. 32 items Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire, 11 Environment Scale, 40 present six scales. total responded, response rate 60%. Because effects variables needed examined, analyse results supervisor level (n=27). The components interdependent, there correlations between components. research, seemed positively intercorrelated with CR. Those formed together leadership. interdependence combined into one independent variable: non-passive leadership). way, possible create simple differentiate groups high, middle, low) based their mean score. Also two dimensions variable, reduced dependent variable. II The confirmed closely related. behaves, inclined deliver consistent useful feedback. It expected relation weak appeared only having direct positive 20% variation mediates feedback, are. noticed behaved passively less subordinates relatively highly committed. When excluding those influential analysis, again mediating became 40%. conclusion, important predictor than leadership, does matter strong feedback. Unfortunately, no relations found KPI’s. Nevertheless, association overall equipment efficiency, costs capital expenditures cost reductions. But associations level, cannot determined certainty. In effective lead blue collar workers mechanistic organisation. concluded who behave improve skills none scored excellent so still room improvement well. first step learn way accept willingness respond probable when they skills, second supervisors. gradually improved according model, profiles used starting point eventually relations-oriented. Both on-the-job training or off-the-job training.