An Exploration of Transformational Leadership and its Effects,

This study extends the authors 1988 analyses of the Leadership Description Questionnaire by reporting a principal components analysis of fire service executives self-report data and data obtained from their subordinates assessment of their leadership style. Multiple regression is then used to predict satisfaction, effectiveness and organizational commitment using transactional and transformational leadership behaviors. Results are discussed in terms of the appropriateness of the instrument as a measurement tool. In 1988, Mueller and Rosenbach reported the results of research which dealt with principal components analyses of the Leader Description Questionnaire LDQ. The LDQ is an abbreviated and somewhat revised version of the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire MLQ, Bass, 1985, Clover, 1986. Mueller and Rosenbachs analyses of 1304 subordinate ratings of 171 leaders from three different populations business, fire service, and church showed that no substantial multicollinearity existed among the questionnaire items, thus permitting the use of regression analyses to predict follower satisfaction and leader effectiveness. In the second part of their study they were unable to find conclusive evidence of the presence of specific transactional and transformational leadership behaviors and hence suggested further research.