This, in turn, is seen as key for the effectiveness of transformational leaders (Bass, 1985; Burns,
1978) ,QGHHG WKH IRFXV RQ IROORZHUV¶ SV\FKRORJLFDO QHHGV VHHPV WREH D FHQWUDO DVSHFW WKDW
differentiates transformational leadership from transactional leadership styles (Bono & Judge, 2003).
8.2 ORGANIZATIONAL LEVEL AS A MODERATING VARIABLE
The positive effect of transformational leadership on VXERUGLQDWH¶job satisfaction may be contingent
RQ VXERUGLQDWHV¶ Kierarchical positioning. Kumar et al. (2012) argued that ³'LIIHUHQW PRWLYDWLRQ
strategies must be devised and implemented for the people at different levels of organizational
KLHUDUFK\LHMXQLRUPLGGOHDQGVHQLRUOHYHOV ́(p.27). Hence, organizational level may be considered
a contingency variable, which is also termed a moderator (Howell et al., 1986). James and Brett
(1984) defined moderators DVIROORZV³DYDULDEOH]LVDPRGHUDWRULIWKHUHODWLRQVKLSEHWZHHQWZR RU
PRUH RWKHUYDULDEOHVVD\[DQG\LVDIXQFWLRQRIWKHOHYHORI] ́(p.310) (see Figure 8.1 for a graphic
display of the moderating variable, organizational level, influencing the relationship between
OHDGHUVKLSEHKDYLRURIWKHVXSHULRUDQGVXERUGLQDWH¶MREVDWLVIDFWLRQ
FIGURE 8-1: ORGANIZATIONAL LEVEL AS MODERATING VARIABLE
The previous chapter showed that transformational leadership was manifested at all organizational
levels to largely the same degree. As for strategic leadership, the previous results showed that the
higher the manager was located within the organizational hierarchy, the greater the extent to which
he/she displayed the Exploration-oriented behaviors, Organizational creativity and Business
development, hence confirming the continuity perspective. Likewise, top-level managers also
performed the Exploitation-oriented behaviors, Operational efficiency and Client centricity, to the
largest extent. Yet, for these dimensions there was no linear relationship, but a u-shaped pattern.
Lower-level managers were in fact more involved in these Exploitation-oriented behaviors than their
middle manager counterparts. The previous studies were solely descriptive of nature, and held no
implications for the effectiveness of these behaviors.