Charisma or Group Belonging as Antecedents of Employee Work Effort?

Journal of Business Ethics (2010) 96:647656 Springer 2010 DOI 10.1007/s10551-010-0490-5

Charisma or Group Belongingas Antecedents of Employee Work Effort? Rudi Kirkhaug

ABSTRACT. Previous studies have consistently argued that employees perception of their leaders as charismatic will positively influence their willingness to commit themselves to the ethical and philanthropic objectives of the organization. However, the empirical relationship between charisma and employee work effort is only modestly explored. This study hypothesizes that in decentralized, professional, and normative organizations characterized by demanding and philanthropic tasks, group belonging, in its capacity to socially and professionally support employees, is better suited to explain employee work effort than leadership charisma. Hierarchical regression analyses based on data from a bishopric supported this assumption. Practical and theoretical consequences are discussed.

KEY WORDS: group belonging, charisma, normative organizations, professional organizations, church, philanthropy

Introduction

This study discusses the relationship between key aspects of professional and normative organizations, like group belonging and leadership charisma on the one hand (cf. Etzioni, 1975; Quinn, 1992), and the effort employees make in executing their work according to ethical and philanthropic principles and objectives, on the other (cf. Rudich, 2009).

A major concern within contingency theory has been that in order for the organization to reach its objectives and become efcient, it should not only adapt to the demands of external environments, but also address the t between elements of internal structure and process, and requirements from its employees (cf. Lawrence, 1993; Miller, 1992; Pennings, 1992; Scott, 1998). Thus, a main hypothesis in this study is the better elements of

internal structure and process t the needs and requirements of professional employees, the more they will conform to the organizations objectives, thereby aiding the organization in becoming efcient.

Leadership charisma has been regarded as being particularly appropriate in normative organizations, like churches, hospitals, and voluntary associations, in order to motivate employees toward making extra effort in appealing to their ambitions, and supplying them with goals, norms, and values (cf. Choi, 2006; Etzioni, 1975; Grojean et al., 2004; Pillai and Meindl, 1998; Shamir et al., 1993; Sims and Brinkmann, 2002; Yammarino et al., 1993). However, this study speculated on whether group belonging might be an even more important source of employee work effort than leadership charisma, particularly in normative organizations that...