leadership and motivation in hospitality

Level Moderator variables

Subordinate
considerations

Expertise, experience, competence, job knowledge, hierarchical

level of occupied position, expectations concerning leader

behaviour

Task
considerations

Degree of time urgency; permissible error rate; presence of
external stressa; degree of autonomy; importance and
meaningfulness of work; and degree of ambiguityb
a for example, from demanding or inconsiderate customers (see e.g. Bitner et al.
(1994: 98-99)
b refers to ‘task ambiguity’ – could be related to efficacy of / lack of training provision

Source: after Kerr and Schriesheim (1974: 558)

performance Table 2-6 Situational variables within potential significance for catering server

server performance

A number of variables from Table 2 - 6 are included in this research:

 in relation to ‘job knowledge’ and ‘degree of ambiguity’, the questionnaire
includes one item statement relating to respondent perceptions of adequacy of
training and one item statement on adequacy of information provision. These
two variables will be used as moderators in the data analyses;
 ‘importance and meaningfulness’ of work (Work Meaning) is measured as an
attitudinal outcome of motivational leadership; and
 ‘degree of autonomy’ is included in the survey as Employee Empowerment.

The intent to evaluate the contribution of motivational leadership to work
meaning, and work meaning’s role as a mediating variable between motivational
leadership and job performance, is described in greater detail in Section 2.4.4.

Degree of autonomy is related to employee empowerment, an issue that has been
examined in a number of hospitality organisation studies (Sparrowe 1994;
Hartline and Ferrell 1996; Lashley 1996; Hancer and George 2003; Hau-Siu Chow
et al. 2006; Chiang and Jang 2008; Clark et al. 2009; Gill et al. 2010). Several of
these hospitality studies have also focused on, or have incorporated within them,
leadership issues (Sparrowe 1994; Chiang and Jang 2008; Clark et al. 2009; Gill
et al. 2010) – accordingly this research will also include employee empowerment
as a predictor of employee attitudes and job performance.