Initiating Structure Behaviors Research Articles

Sex Effects in Evaluating Leaders.

This study represents the beginning of a program of research aimed at assessing the extent to which sex role stereotypes influence the evaluation of leadership behavior. Male and female business students were administered one of two versions of a questionnaire. Both versions contained the same four stories, each depicting a leadership style based on one of the following Ohio State leadership dimensions: initiating structure, consideration, production emphasis, and tolerance for freedom. In one version, the names indicated that the managers in the four stories were (in order) male, female, male, female; in the other version, the managers' names were changed to indicate the opposite sex. The subjects were asked to answer eight evaluative questions for each of the four leadership styles. The results confirmed the hypothesis that sex has an effect on evaluations of managerial behavior, although the effect varied for different leadership styles. In general, the effect was greatest for the consideration style, where female managers received more positive scores than male managers. Initiating structure behavior was valued more highly when engaged in by male managers than when it was used by female managers. Sex also appeared to influence evaluations of the tolerance for freedom style, but the precise effect was unclear. Evaluations of the production emphasis style were not affected by the sex variable. Sex of subject effects also were noted. Implications of the findings for managerial behavior and future research are discussed.

Leadership Behavior as a Function of Subordinate Competence and Task Complexity

A modified role projection technique is used to determine the effects of subordinate competence (low and high) and task complexity (simple and complex) on perceptions of leadership behavior. This behavior is viewed in terms of consideration (C) and initiating structure (IS). With leadership thought of as a dyadic influence process, it is hypothesized that subordinates hold expectations of the proper level of structuring their supervisor should provide. If the supervisor violates this level, his C and IS behaviors will be considered to be negatively related. Two variables-subordinate competence and task complexity-are hypothesized to directly affect the subordinate's expectation of the proper level of structuring. The results provide some support for the proposed model, but mixed support for the specific hypotheses.'