recommendation. In response to this point, the research has built upon the most-
frequently utilised approach (transformational leadership) focusing in particular on
the Inspirational Motivation (IM) dimension that encapsulates leaders’ goal-
focused motivational behaviour. The research has used this approach to evaluate
the hitherto unexamined but key research question for hospitality organisations,
‘to what extent do motivational leaders effect an increase in employee motivation
/ job performance’?
That so many of the measured relationships are new reflects:
(i) the early evolutionary stage of the field of studies (see Section 3.10), meaning
that there are a great many unanswered and unaddressed research questions;
and
(ii) the inclusion of the newly-developed (and therefore hitherto unmeasured)
Work Meaning (ME) and Employee Positive Attitude (EPA) constructs.
The discussion below considers the implications of the study findings for theory
and practice (which are often closely-linked because of the applied focus of both
the current research and of organisational behaviour theories). Several areas for
further research arise from the findings of the study; some are suggested by new
findings and new conceptualisations while others arise as a result of limitations to
the current research.
8.3.1 Work motivation: behavioural measures
For this research, work motivation has been measured using both attitudinal and
behavioural measures.
Turning firstly to the two behavioural measures, Job Performance (JP) and
Discretionary Service Behaviour (DSB). The Job Performance (JP) measure is a
respondent self-rated measure of extra effort drawn from the Extra Effort
component of Bass’s Full-Range Leadership Model (FRLM) (Avolio and Bass
2004a) (see also Section 5.4). For this research, one of the indicator variables
(JP4 – How often you go out of your way to deal with a guests’ special request?)
specifically focused on service behaviour. This service focus was intended to
make the construct more relevant to hospitality service settings and also to
complement the service–focused nature of the second behavioural measure of
work motivation, Discretionary Service Behaviour (DSB).