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Level of Conceptualization For Leadership Theories

This document discusses different ways to classify leadership theories based on their level of conceptualization. It describes leadership theories as intra-individual processes focusing on leader attributes, dyadic processes focusing on the leader-follower relationship, group processes focusing on group dynamics, and organizational processes focusing on larger systems. The document also contrasts leader-centered vs follower-centered theories, universal vs contingency theories, and descriptive vs prescriptive theories.

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Umair Mansoor
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443 views9 pages

Level of Conceptualization For Leadership Theories

This document discusses different ways to classify leadership theories based on their level of conceptualization. It describes leadership theories as intra-individual processes focusing on leader attributes, dyadic processes focusing on the leader-follower relationship, group processes focusing on group dynamics, and organizational processes focusing on larger systems. The document also contrasts leader-centered vs follower-centered theories, universal vs contingency theories, and descriptive vs prescriptive theories.

Uploaded by

Umair Mansoor
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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LEVEL OF CONCEPTUALIZATION FOR

LEADERSHIP THEORIES
Another way to classify leadership theories is in terms of the “level of conceptualization” or
type of constructs used to describe leaders and their influence on others. Leadership can be
described as

▪ an intra-individual process

▪ a dyadic process

▪ a group process

▪ an organizational process
INTRA INDIVIDUAL PROCESS
▪ Because most definitions of leadership involve influence processes between individuals,
leadership theories that describe only leader attributes are rare.

▪ Nevertheless, a number of researchers used psychological theories of personality traits,


values, skills, motivation, and cognition to explain the decisions and behavior of an
individual leader. Roles, behaviors, or decision styles are also used for describing and
comparing leaders.
DYADIC PROCESS
▪ The dyadic approach focuses on the relationship between a leader and another individual

who is usually a subordinate or another type of follower

▪ The explanation of leader influence is usually in terms of how the leader causes the

subordinate to be more motivated and more capable of accomplishing task assignments.


GROUP PROCESS
▪ When effective leadership is viewed from a group-level perspective, the focus is on the

influence of leaders on collective processes that determine team performance. The

explanatory influence processes include determinants of group effectiveness that can be

influenced by leaders, and they usually involve all members of a group or team, not only a

single subordinate.
ORGANIZATIONAL PROCESS

▪ The group approach provides a better understanding of leadership effectiveness than

dyadic or intra-individual approaches, but it has some important limitations. A group

usually exists in a larger social system, and its effectiveness cannot be understood if the

focus of the research is limited to the group’s internal processes. The organizational level of

analysis describes leadership as a process that occurs in a larger “open system” in which

groups are subsystems


Other Bases for Comparing Leadership Theories
▪ Key variables and level of conceptualization are not the only ways to compare leadership
theories. The other types of distinctions commonly used in the leadership literature are

▪ Leader-centered versus follower-centered theory

▪ Universal versus contingency theory

▪ Descriptive versus prescriptive theory.


Other Bases for Comparing Leadership Theories

Leader-Centered or Follower-Centered Theory


▪ The extent to which a theory is focused on either the leader or followers is another useful
way to classify leadership theories. Most leadership theories emphasize the characteristics
and actions of the leader without much concern for follower characteristics.

▪ The leader-focus is strongest in theory and research that identifies traits, skills, or behaviors
that contribute to leader effectiveness
Other Bases for Comparing Leadership Theories

Descriptive or Prescriptive Theory


▪ Another important distinction among leadership theories is the extent to which they are descriptive or
prescriptive. Descriptive theories explain leadership processes, describe the typical activities of leaders, and
explain why certain behaviors occur in particular situations.

▪ Prescriptive theories specify what leaders must do to become effective, and they identify any necessary
conditions for using a particular type of behavior effectively.

▪ The two perspectives are not mutually exclusive, and a theory can have both types of elements. For example, a
theory that explains why a particular pattern of behavior is typical for leaders (descriptive) may also explain
which aspects of behavior are most effective (prescriptive).
Other Bases for Comparing Leadership Theories
Universal or Contingency Theory
▪ A universal theory describes some aspect of leadership that applies to all types of situations, and the theory can
be either descriptive or prescriptive. A descriptive universal theory may describe typical functions performed to
some extent by all types of leaders, whereas a prescriptive universal theory may specify functions all leaders
must perform to be effective.

▪ A contingency theory describes some aspect of leadership that applies to some situations but not to others, and
these theories can also be either descriptive or prescriptive. A descriptive contingency theory may explain how
leader behavior varies from one situation to another, whereas a prescriptive contingency theory describes
effective behavior in a specific situation.

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