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Are leaders with postgraduate degrees perceived to be more transformational? A quasi-experimental field study

Morris Mendelson (Faculty of Business, University of New Brunswick Saint John, Saint John, Canada)
Jasmine Alam (Shannon School of Business, Cape Breton University, Sydney, Canada)
Chris Cunningham (Faculty of Business, University of New Brunswick Saint John, Saint John, Canada)
Adam Totton (Faculty of Business, University of New Brunswick Saint John, Saint John, Canada)
Carrie Smith (Faculty of Business, University of New Brunswick Saint John, Saint John, Canada)

Leadership & Organization Development Journal

ISSN: 0143-7739

Article publication date: 12 February 2019

Issue publication date: 1 April 2019

501

Abstract

Purpose

Transformational leadership has been shown to have a positive impact on a host of employee level and organizational performance indicators. However, little research has sought to understand some of the antecedents of this style of leadership. The purpose of this paper is to examine the link between having a post-secondary education and perceptions of transformational leadership.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from two surveys issued in a mid-sized energy company located on the eastern seaboard of North America. One-way ANOVA comparing employees’ perceptions of transformational leadership exhibited by their supervisors that either did or did not have a post-graduate degree demonstrated a strong, positive relationship between the attainment of a Master’s degree and perceived levels of transformational leadership qualities.

Findings

The findings of this quasi-experimental field study demonstrated a strong, positive relationship between the attainment of a Master’s degree and perceived levels of transformational leadership qualities.

Originality/value

This study is the first of its kind to demonstrate that more educated managers are generally perceived to be more transformational in their leadership style.

Keywords

Citation

Mendelson, M., Alam, J., Cunningham, C., Totton, A. and Smith, C. (2019), "Are leaders with postgraduate degrees perceived to be more transformational? A quasi-experimental field study", Leadership & Organization Development Journal, Vol. 40 No. 2, pp. 259-273. https://doi.org/10.1108/LODJ-06-2018-0239

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited

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