Skip to main content
Frontiers of Business Research in China
Download PDF
  • Research Article
  • Published:

The structure and measurement of transformational leadership in China

Frontiers of Business Research in China volume 2, pages 571–590 (2008)Cite this article

Abstract

Using an open-ended questionnaire, this research firstly collects data from 249 managers and employees in various companies to identify behaviors and characteristics of transformational leadership in China. A content analysis reveals that transformational leadership includes eight specific categories in China. Then, transformational leadership questionnaire (TLQ) is developed in the second study by means of expert discussion. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) of data from a sample of 431 employees shows that transformational leadership is a four-dimension construct in China, including moral modeling, charisma, articulate vision and individualized consideration. The third study further confirms TLQ’s construct validity through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of data from another sample of 440 managers and employees. Internal consistency analyses and hierarchical regression analyses indicate that TLQ has sound reliability and concurrent validity.

摘要

采用开放式问卷对249 名맜理者与员工进行了调查。 分析表明, 我国的变革型领导包括8 类行为或特征。 通过专家讨论, 编制了适合我国国情的变革型领导问卷。 431 份有效问卷的探索性因素分析表明, 变革型领导是一个4 因素的结构, 具体包括: 德行垂范、 领导魅力、 愿景激励与个性化关怀。 为了进一步验证变革型领导的构想效度, 并考察问卷的信度与效度, 对6 家企业进行了调查, 获得了440 份有效问卷。 验证性因素分析证实了变革型领导问卷的构想效度, 内部一致性分析与层次回归分析的结果也表明, 基于我国文化背景新编的变革型领导问卷具有较好的信度与同时效度。

References

  • Alimo-Metcalfe B, Alban-Metcalfe R J (2001). The development of a new transformational leadership questionnaire. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 74: 1–27

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Avolio B J, Bass B M, Jung D I (1999). Re-examining the components of transformational and transactional leadership using the multifactor leadership questionnaire. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 72: 441–462

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bass B M (1985). Leadership and Performance Beyond Expectations. New York: Free Press

    Google Scholar 

  • Bass B M (1995). Theory of transformational leadership redux. The Leadership Quarterly, 6(4):463–478

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bass B M (1997). Does the transactional-transformational leadership paradigm transcend organizational and national boundaries? American Psychologist, 52: 130–139

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bass B M, Avolio B J (1990). Developing transformational leadership: 1992 and beyond. Journal of European Industrial Training, 14(5): 21–27

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bass B M, Avolio B J (1996). Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire. Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press

    Google Scholar 

  • Carless S A (1998). Assessing the discriminant validity of transformational leader behavior as measured by the MLQ. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 71:353–358

    Google Scholar 

  • Cheng B, Chou L, Farh J (2000). A triad model of paternalistic leadership: Constructs and measurement. Indigenous Psychological Research in Chinese Societies, 14: 3–64

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen X P Chun Hui, Sego D J (1998). The role of organizational citizenship behavior in turnover: Conceptualization and preliminary tests of key hypotheses. Journal of Applied Psychology, 83(6): 922–926

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Den Hartog D N, Van Muijen J J, Koopman P L (1997). Transactional versus transformational leadership: An analysis of the MLQ. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 70: 19–34

    Google Scholar 

  • Farh J L, Earley P C, Lin S C (1997). Impetus for action: A cultural analysis of justice and organizational citizenship behavior in Chinese society. Administrative Science Quarterly, 42(3): 421–444

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hofstede G H (1993). Cultural constraints in management theories. Academy of Management Executive, 7(1): 81–94

    Google Scholar 

  • Hofstede G H (2000). Culture’s consequences: Comparing values, behaviors, institutions and organizations across nations. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage Publications

    Google Scholar 

  • Li Chaoping, Shi Kan (2003). Transformational leadership and its relationship with leadership effectiveness. Psychological Science, 26(1): 115–117 (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Ling Wenquan, Chen Long, Wang Deng (1987). Construction of CPM scale for leadership behavior assessment. Acta Psychologica Sinica, (2): 199–207

  • Ling W, Chia R C, Fang L (2000). Chinese Implicit leadership theory. the Journal of Social Psychology, 140(6): 729–739

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meyer J P, Allen N J, Smith C A (1993). Commitment to organizations and occupations: Extension and test of a three-component conceptualization. Journal of Applied Psychology, 78: 538–551

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shi Kan, Wang Jicheng, Li Chaoping (2002). An assessment study on competency model of senior managers. Acta Psychologica Sinica, 34(3): 306–311

    Google Scholar 

  • Tejeda M J, Scandura T A, Pillai R (2001). The MLQ revisited: Psychometric properties and recommendations. Leadership Quarterly, 12(1): 31–52

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tsui A S, Egan T D, O’Reilly C A Iii (1992). Being different: Relational demography and organizational attachment. Administrative Science Quarterly, 37(4): 549–579

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Westwood R (1997). Harmony and patriarchy: The cultural basis for ‘paternalistic headship’ among the overseas Chinese. Organization Studies, 18(3): 445–480

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Organizations and Human Resources, School of Public Administration, Renmin University of China, Beijing, 100872, China

    Chaoping Li

  2. Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China

    Kan Shi

Authors
  1. Chaoping Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Kan Shi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Chaoping Li.

Additional information

Translated and revised from Xinli Xuebao 心理学报 (Acta Psychologica Sinica), 2005, 37(6): 803–811

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Li, C., Shi, K. The structure and measurement of transformational leadership in China. Front. Bus. Res. China 2, 571–590 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11782-008-0032-5

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11782-008-0032-5

Keywords

关键词