TRANSACTIONAL AND TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP: AN ANALYSIS OF MALE AND FEMALE LEADERSHIP STYLES IN DELAWARE PUBLIC SCHOOLS

A dissertation completed at The Center for Education, Widener University, One University Place, Chester, PA 19013
TRANSACTIONAL AND TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP: AN ANALYSIS OF MALE AND FEMALE LEADERSHIP STYLES IN DELAWARE PUBLIC SCHOOLS Janice Bostick Rice, Ed. D. July 15, 1993
RETURN edited 6/20/01

ABSTRACT

Numerous studies have documented the underrepresentation of women in educational leadership. This phenomena is particularly evident among the school based administrators in New Castle County, Delaware. The work of James McGregor Burns (1978) and Bernard Bass (1985) on the use of transformational and transactional leadership behaviors may offer promise for resolution of this issue as leaders move towards elevating the social consciousness of followers. Transformational leadership subsumes transactional leadership (Leithwood, 1990) and places increased emphasis on the actualization of followers. Through role modeling, leaders transmit values, collaboratively set, and serve as catalyst for influencing followers to transform themselves and the social environment (Bass, 1985; Beaven, 1989). Thus, constituents are empowered and able to predict the consequences of their behaviors. Bass (1985) developed the MLQ Nultifactor leadership Questionnaire to measure these factors.

The purpose of this study is to (1) determine whether transformational and transactional leadership differ on the basis of gender within the school administrative population in Delaware, and (2) to measure the differences in the perceptions of organizational outcome accomplishment between administrators and teachers, as well as those associated with leader gender.

The population sample was selected from four of the school districts in the state of Delaware. It consisted of 48 school based administrators, 24 women and men. From this number, a sample consisting of 40 administrators participated in the study, 21 men and 19 women. Additionally, rater forms were sent to 240 elementary and secondary teachers, 120 males and 120 females. A total of 89 men and 81 female elementary and secondary teachers participated in the research project. Overall, there were 210 participants (73%). Their opinions were measured against the dependent variables identified in the Multifactor Leadership studies by Bass (1985).

The MLQ self rater and subordinate rater forms measured transformational leadership factors (charisma, inspiration, intellectual stimulation, individualized consideration), transactional leadership factors (contingent reward and management by exception), and organizational outcome factors (extra effort, effectiveness, satisfaction). These factors were tested using Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) techniques.

The results indicated that there were no gender differences in the perception of leadership styles as measured by the MLQ. However, women scored higher than men on the transformational factors of charisma and individualized consideration. Male and female teachers did not differ in their opinions of administrators. Significant differences did appear from the univariate analysis in extra effort and inspiration. Cross gender ratings demonstrated that scores varied with the gender of the leader in terms of organizational outcomes, however, men scored women higher than men in each of the transformational factors except intellectual stimulation. Women received lower scores than men in management by exception except in cross gender ratings. There was a significant difference in the scores of administrators and teacher perceptions.

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