Browsing by Author "Hendrikz, Karen"

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    The development of a principled leadership scale
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2017-03) Hendrikz, Karen; Engelbrecht, Amos Schreuder; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Dept. of Industrial Psychology.
    ENGLISH SUMMARY : In South Africa, as scandals of the moral demise of the leaders in the public and private sectors grow, the need for value-based leaders, who lead from an inner moral compass, is continually highlighted. Several value-based leadership scales, measuring either transformational, authentic, servant or ethical leadership exist. However, while these leadership scales each measure an aspect of value-based leadership, none of them measures the concept as a whole. Furthermore, these scales have largely been developed in countries outside of South Africa. A vacuum therefore exists regarding South African-based leadership scales. The primary focus of this study was thus to develop a new leadership scale, the Principled Leadership Scale (PLS), which would be a holistic measure of value-based leader behaviour, and which would be developed within the South African context. The development of the scale was grounded in a thorough analysis of the leader behaviours inherent to transformational, authentic, servant and ethical leadership. From these behaviours, the salient features of a principled leader were distilled. Dimensions which measure principled leadership were formulated as well as items by which the behaviour contained in these dimensions could be measured. These dimensions and items of the PLS were depicted in a conceptual measurement model. A second focus of the study was to contextualise principled leadership within a network of antecedents and outcomes. By exploring the concept of moral intelligence, an answer to what precedes principled behaviour was sought. For principled leadership to be effective, it was also important to explore if it would have a positive effect on outcomes in the work environment. In this context, the effect of principled leadership on trust in the leader, and of trust in the leader on organisational citizenship behaviour was sought. Based on the literature study, a structural model depicting the interaction of these constructs with one another was developed and various hypotheses were postulated. Data for the quantitative study was collected by means of either a paper-based questionnaire or an electronic web-based questionnaire. A total of 300 completed questionnaires were returned. The final questionnaire consisted of four scales: The adapted Moral Competency Inventory (MCI), the Principled Leadership Scale (PLS), the Leader Trust Scale (LTS) and the Organisational Citizenship Behaviour Scale (OCBS). Empirical testing of the postulated models and hypotheses was conducted in two phases, by various statistical methods. First the postulated model of the PLS was tested for reliability, where after exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were utilised to test the model for construct validity. During this analysis, one item was eliminated as it was deemed to be a poor item. Reliability of all the dimensions of the PLS was very high. The CFA revealed that acceptable fit was achieved for the measurement model of the refined PLS. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was utilised to determine the extent to which the structural model, in which the variables moral intelligence, principled leadership, trust in the leader and OCB were postulated to interact, fitted the data obtained from the sample. The results indicated acceptable fit of the data. Furthermore, the results revealed that moral intelligence had a positive effect on principled leadership, which had a positive effect on trust in the leader. In turn, trust in the leader had a positive effect on OCB. The present study contributes to the existing literature on leadership in that a new, holistic, value-based leadership scale was developed, which showed acceptable initial results with regards to its reliability and construct validity. Furthermore, it provides insight into the effect of moral intelligence on principled leader behaviour, and of principled leadership on trust in leaders and OCB. The scale has managerial implications in that it could be used in the selection and/or development of leaders in organisations. The limitations and recommendations associated with the study provide additional possibilities for future research.
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    Influence of moral intelligence, principled leadership and trust on organisational citizenship behaviour
    (AOSIS Publishing, 2020) Engelbrecht, A. S. (Amos Schreuder); Hendrikz, Karen
    Background: Organisational citizenship behaviour (OCB) plays a substantial role in individual and organisational performance. Aim: The aim of the study was to investigate how moral intelligence and principled leadership can influence trust in the leader and OCB. Setting: Data were collected from 300 employees from various organisations in South Africa. Purposive, non-probability sampling was used. Methods: A theoretical model and hypotheses were developed to explain the structural relationships among the latent variables. Data were analysed by means of item analysis and confirmatory factor analysis conducted via structural equation modelling (SEM). Results: High levels of reliability were found for the measurement scales. Good model fit was demonstrated for the measurement and structural models. Empirical support was found for the significant mediating effects of principled leadership and trust in leaders in the indirect relationship between moral intelligence and OCB. The Principled Leadership Scale (PLS) could be used in the selection or development of principled leaders to develop an ethical culture to combat the high levels of corruption that many organisations face. Principled leaders play a key role in creating an ethical and trusting work climate conducive for OCB. Conclusion: This study is the first to analyse the joint relationships among the specific latent variables in the structural model. Furthermore, the study provided the first supporting evidence for the concurrent validity of the newly developed PLS.
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    The principled leadership scale : an integration of value-based leadership
    (AOSIS Publishing, 2019) Hendrikz, Karen; Engelbrecht, Amos S.
    Orientation: A need exists to investigate leader behaviour necessary to curb the corruption that has infected and weakened South Africa’s moral fibre. Such leader behaviour would need to be underpinned by a set of universal moral values. Research purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop a new measure, the principled leadership scale (PLS), by integrating the value-based behaviours inherent in transformational, servant, authentic and ethical leadership. Motivation for the study: Leader behaviour intrinsic to value-based leadership was found to be closely aligned with universal moral values. Because the study found a considerable overlap between the behaviours mentioned in the value-based leadership theories, it sought to integrate these behaviours under one construct and to develop a reliable and valid scale to assess this construct. Research approach/design and method: Data from the quantitative study were analysed by means of item analysis, exploratory and confirmatory bi-factor analysis conducted via structural equation modelling. Main findings: The confirmatory bi-factor solution corroborated a strong general principled leadership factor and four moderately weak group factors. The statistical analyses provided good fit of the PLS measurement model with the empirical data. Practical and managerial implications: The study found acceptable measurement properties of the PLS that may be used for applications, such as the selecting, training and developing of ethical leadership in organisations. Contribution/value-add: The study adds value in that it is the first to integrate the four value-based leadership theories under one construct and to develop a potential psychometrically sound instrument to measure principled leadership.