Leader behavior: An expectancy theory approach

Abstract

Expectancy theory has found increasing use in the study of such variables as worker effort, performance, and satisfaction. This paper suggests some mathematical modifications of expectancy theory which extend its use to the prediction of leader behavior. Data from a field study of naval aviation maintenance crews and a field study of public works maintenance shop supervisors found that a leader's actual behavior could be predicted from the theory. These results suggest that expectancy theory not only has the ability to account for leader behavior in a real life setting, but also helps us to understand the antecedents of such behavior.