transformational leadership has become the most frequently utilised theory.
Transformational leadership is also significant for this research, in particular, the
analysis draws upon the Inspirational Motivational dimension of Bass and Avolio’s
(2004a) transformational leadership theory. Owing to the significance of
transformational leadership for hospitality leadership studies and for this
research, the following section provides a detailed description of the emergence
and evolution of transformational leadership theory.
2.4 Transformational leadership
2.4.1 Origins and essence
The transformational/transactional leadership dichotomy was introduced by
Downton (1973) in his study of political leadership; for Downton, transformational
leadership was characterised by a mutually-motivational relationship between
leader and follower. Downton contrasted transformational and transactional
leadership in his study of the differences among revolutionary, rebellious, reform-
oriented and ‘ordinary’ leaders. This distinction between transformational and
transactional leadership orientations was later utilised by Burns in his seminal
(1978) work Leadership which examined the political, social, and psychological
dimensions of leadership and examined its moral dimensions using Kohlberg’s
(e.g. Kohlberg 1963) hierarchy of moral development. Barnett et al. (2001)
summarised Burns’ conceptualisation of transformational and transactional
leadership thus:
(1) Transactional (ordinary) leadership is based on an exchange
relationship in which follower compliance (effort, productivity, loyalty)
is exchanged for expected rewards; and(2) Transformational (extraordinary) leaders raise followers'
consciousness levels about the importance and value of designated
outcomes and ways of achieving them.
(Barnett et al. 2001: 25)