This chapter presents conclusions drawn from the study according to the general and specific objectives.
Limitations of the current study are identified and discussed. Recommendations are made for organisations, as well as for future research in this field.
CONCLUSION
This section presents and elaborates on the general objective and specific objectives and the conclusion reached.
The general objective of the study: Investigating the relationship between transformational leadership, employee motivation and job satisfaction in an academic institution. The study's general objective was to determine the relationship between transformational leadership, employee motivation, and job satisfaction in an academic institution. In addition, this study also seek to determine the transformational leadership in employee motivation and intrinsic and extrinsic job satisfaction.
Specific objective 1: To determine how transformational leadership, employee motivation, and job satisfaction is conceptualised according to the literature. Hughes, Ginnett & Curphy (2009: 632) describes that transformational leaders find problems in the current system and have a vision on how followers should perform and what the organisation could be. Furthermore, these researchers indicate that this new vision of a transformational leader is linked to the values of leaders and their followers. According to Cherry (2017), “transformational leaders can inspire followers to change perceptions, motivations and expectations to work towards common goals”. Transformational leaders go beyond managing day-to-day operations and work on strategies that will take the leader’s company or team to the next level of performance and success. This study conceptualises and operationalises transformational leadership in line with Podsakoff, Mackenzie, Moorman & Fetter (1990). These authors described this style as multidimensional that consist of six key features, including identifying and articulating a vision, providing an appropriate model or role modelling, facilitating the acceptance of group goals, setting high-performance expectations, providing individualized support and intellectual stimulating team members.
46 According to Manik & Sidharta (2017) motivation is a process that describes the direction, intensity, and perseverance of individual efforts in achieving goals. Motivation directs and improves behaviour to achieve goals. Individuals motivation is affected by external stimulation and influenced by the intrinsic power within them (Manik & Sidharta, 2017). Motivation is defined as the process that guides, initiates, and maintains goal-oriented behaviours (Cherry, 2018). Motivation is what causes people to act and attain goals.
People have some objectives that have to be fulfilled and it is for this reason, management should allocate motive to every team or individual to achieve goals for management. People are motivated by external and internal factors as they are always the reasons why they behave, achieve, learn, and react (Thompson, 2019).
There are two types of motivation or rewards, intrinsic, internal motivation (individual's motivational stimuli are coming from inside) and extrinsic motivation, which is external (individual's motivational stimuli are coming from outside). Intrinsic motivation is a feeling of achievement and satisfaction, while extrinsic motivation is based on punishment, rewards, and goal obtainment. Examples of intrinsic motivation are self-actualisation and a sense of accomplishment, while extrinsic motivation may include status and working conditions. Self-concept and personality often determine whether or not a person will be extrinsically or intrinsically motivated. If leaders understand the distinction between extrinsic and intrinsic motivational factors, they are more likely to motivate themselves and others (Thompson, 2019).
Business Jargons (n.d.) defined job satisfaction as a sense of accomplishment or the feeling of contentment that an employee derives from their job. Employees' job satisfaction depends on managers' leadership style (Mosadeghrad & Ferdosi, 2013). It is a result of appraisal that causes one to meet their basic needs or attain their job values. It represents the difference between employees' experience and expectations they derive from the job and the organisation they work in. Employees are the most important resources of an academic institution. According to Bathena (2018), job satisfaction is an important part of the lifecycle and motivation of an employee to remain loyal and employed with an organisation. One of the main factors to ensure people are happy in their employment and their lives and gain meaning is to ensure life satisfaction (Çakmak, Karadağ, & Bayir, 2015). Happy employees go the extra mile to achieve goals, are more loyal to the organisation, its goals and objectives, and take pride in their jobs, achievements, and teams (Bathena, 2018).
47 Specific objective 2: To determine the relationship between transformational leadership, employee motivation and job satisfaction in an academic institution. Previous research (Andersen, Bjørnholt, Bro,
& Holm-Petersen, 2018; Belle ́, 2014; Krogsgaard, Thomsen & Andersen, 2014; Li, Bhutto, Xuhui, Maitlo, Zafar & Bhutto, 2020; Park & Rainey, 2008; Risambessy, Swasto, Thoyib & Astuti, 2012; Vandenabeele, 2014; Wright et al., 2012) suggest that transformational leadership is associated with employees’ level motivation. The findings suggest that transformational leadership characteristics were statistical significantly related to one another on the one hand and with WSDM, NWSDM and extrinsic and intrinsic job satisfaction on the other hand. More specifically, vision articulation, role modelling, goal acceptance, performance expectations, individual considerations, and intellectual stimulation was related to WSDM, NWSDM, extrinsic and intrinsic job satisfaction.
These findings are in line with previous empirical findings that confirmed associations between transformational leadership (and its dimensions) and intrinsic, extrinsic motivation (Barbuto Jr, 2005;
Conchie, 2013), and job satisfaction (Risambessy, Swasto, Thoyib & Astuti, 2012). The findings also concur with previous empirical results that confirmed the link between transformational leadership and job satisfaction (Jabbar, Hussin & Nazli, 2020; Jabbar, Mahmood & Qambar, 2020; James, 2004; Lok &
Crawford, 2004; Nguni et al., 2016; Raziq & Maulabakhsh, 2014; Risambessy, Swasto, Thoyib & Astuti, 2012; Trimmreck, 2001). Bass (1985) noted that transformational leadership intrinsically foster job satisfaction, given its ability to impart a sense of mission and intellectual stimulation. Transformational leaders tend to encourage and motivate their followers to take on more responsibility and autonomy, thereby enhancing employees’ sense of accomplishment and satisfaction with their job. Both transactional and transformational leadership have been widely linked to positive individual and organizational consequences (Bass & Riggio, 2006). WSDM was also related to NWSDM, extrinsic and intrinsic job satisfaction, and extrinsic job satisfaction was related to intrinsic job satisfaction. These findings are in line with previous empirical findings linking employee motivation to job satisfaction (Roos & Van Eeden, 2008; Chukwura, 2016; Jehanzeb, Rasheed & Rasheed, 2012; Risambessy, Swasto, Thoyib & Astuti, 2012).
Specific objective 3: To determine the role of transformational leadership in employee motivation in an academic institution. Previous studies (Andersen, Bjørnholt, Bro, & Holm-Petersen, 2018; Belle ́, 2014;
Krogsgaard, Thomsen & Andersen, 2014; Li, Bhutto, Xuhui, Maitlo, Zafar & Bhutto, 2020; Park & Rainey, 2008; Risambessy, Swasto, Thoyib & Astuti, 2012; Vandenabeele, 2014; Wright et al., 2012) suggest that transformational leadership plays a significant role in employees’ level motivation. The results suggest that transformational leadership characteristics account for 27% of the variance in WSDM, with role modelling, goal acceptance and performance expectations proving to be the only statistical significant predictors of WSDN. Transformational leadership characteristics account for 16% of the variance in WNSDM, with performance expectation proving to be statistical significant predictor of NWSDM. This means that role
48 modelling, goal acceptance and performance expectations is important for WSDM while only performance expectations are important for WSDM. Characteristics of transformational leadership also explained 29%
of the variance in extrinsic job satisfaction with vision articulation and goal acceptance proving to be statistical significant predictors of the dependent variable. However, with the inclusion of WSDM and NWSDM in the second model, the variance explained in extrinsic job satisfaction increased to 39%, with vision articulation goal acceptance proving WSDM and NWSDM proving to be the only statistical significant predictor of extrinsic job satisfaction.
Specific objective 4: To determine the role of transformational leadership and employee motivation in job satisfaction in an academic institution. Previous empirical findings also confirmed associations between transformational leadership (and its dimensions) and intrinsic, extrinsic motivation (Barbuto, 2005; Conchie, 2013), and job satisfaction (Risambessy, Swasto, Thoyib & Astuti, 2012). The results suggest that transformational leadership characteristics also explained 39% of the variance in intrinsic job satisfaction with vision articulation and goal acceptance proving to be statistical significant predictors of the dependent variable. However, with the inclusion of WSDM and NWSDM in the second model, the variance explained in extrinsic job satisfaction increased to 43%, with vision articulation, goal acceptance and WSDM proving to be the only statistical significant predictor of intrinsic job satisfaction. This means that vision articulation goal acceptance WSDM is important for extrinsic motivation, whereas vision articulation goal acceptance and WSDM are salient in intrinsic job satisfaction.
LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
Due to the nature and scope of the research study certain limitations emerged and it is important to expand on these. This study limitation was that the research was conducted in a single institution, although the demographics of the participants represent the South Africans. Only a minimum response of 149 questionnaires were completed out of a sample of more that 4000 employees, despite allocation of extra time to complete the questionnaire. The non-response was associated with a survey instrument where employees were asked to rate their own leadership approach and their own levels of engagement.The other limitation is linked to the sampling technique used in this study, and also that, cross sectional designs have implications for cause and effect assumptions and method bias. The survey questionnaire was only administered in English and not all respondents’ first language is English which could have resulted in a risk of misinterpretation and misunderstanding. Lastly, the study is dependent on the truthfulness of respondents’ answers.
49 RECOMMENDATIONS
Next, recommendations are provided for the academic institution and future studies.
Recommendations for the academic institution
The findings of the study suggest that vision articulation, role modelling, goal acceptance, performance expectations, individual considerations, and intellectual stimulation was related to WSDM, NWSDM, extrinsic and intrinsic job satisfaction, WSDM was related to NWSDM, extrinsic and intrinsic job satisfaction, NWSDM was related to extrinsic and intrinsic job satisfaction. The implication of this finding is that managers who demonstrate transformational behavioural dimensions will enhance work and non- work self-determination motivation and job satisfaction. The findings also suggest that role modelling, goal acceptance, and performance expectations are important for WSDM, while only performance expectations are important for NWSDM. This suggests that managers who serve as role models, facilitate goal acceptance by employees, and set high performing expectations are more likely to promote WSDM and NWSDM amongst employees. The findings also suggest that vision articulation, goal acceptance, and WSDM proved to be predictors of extrinsic and intrinsic job satisfaction. This means that interventions aimed at increasing the ability of managers to enhance vision articulation, goal acceptance and WSDM will positively impact extrinsic and intrinsic job satisfaction of employees.
Recommendations for future studies
Based on the study results and the subsequent limitations that were highlighted, the following recommendations are made for future research.
• The data was obtained from a small convenience sample in an academic institution in South Africa.
Future studies on the topic should consider larger samples obtained from various academic institutions in South Africa to increase the generalizability of the findings.
• Secondly and thirdly, cross sectional designs have implications for cause and effect assumptions.
Without longitudinal data, it is not possible to establish a true cause and effect relationship (Solem, 2015).
• Thirdly, cross-sectional designs have implications for method bias. The primary limitation of the cross- sectional study design is that because all variables are simultaneously assessed, there is generally no evidence of a temporal relationship between exposure and outcome (Carlson & Morrison, 2009).
• Fourthly, the survey questionnaire was administered only in English, and not all respondents’ first language is English which could have resulted in a risk of misinterpretation and misunderstanding. It is therefore suggested that future studies should consider translations of the questionnaires.
50
• Fifthly, a qualitative approach only considers the views of the literate. Therefore, it is suggested that the should be duplicated using a qualitative approach to tap into the experiences of those who could not read and write. In-depth interviews regarding the experiences of transformational leadership, employee motivation and job satisfaction are recommended to share light on the experiences of those that cannot read and write.
• Lastly, the study is dependent on the truthfulness of respondents’ answers, thus a single source. Future studies should consider a multi-source because one misses out on the opportunity to examine several interesting hypotheses with a single-source/single-method design. One could, for instance, test if the transformational leadership – employee motivation hypothesis and if the transformational leadership – job satisfaction hypothesis hold for an employee at different levels of the hierarchy.
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