WHY STANDARDISED LEADERSHIP APPROACHES FAIL: THE ROLE OF ORGANISATIONAL CONTEXT IN LEADERSHIP EFFECTIVENESS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.69980/11hgxk33Keywords:
Standardised leadership, Organisational context, Leadership effectiveness, Organisational behaviour, Human resource management, Organisational outcomesAbstract
Contemporary organisations operate in complex and diverse environments, yet many continue to rely on standardised leadership approaches that assume uniform effectiveness across organisational settings. The study examines employee perceptions of one-size-fits-all leadership practices, analyses the influence of organisational context on leadership effectiveness, and assesses the relationship between leadership standardisation and organisational outcomes. A quantitative cross-sectional research design was adopted. Data were collected from 120 employees and mid-level managers across diverse organisational settings using purposive sampling. A structured questionnaire measured leadership standardisation, organisational context, leadership effectiveness, organisational outcomes, and overall perceptions through a five-point Likert scale. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation analysis, multiple regression analysis, and an independent samples t-test. Organisational context showed a positive association with organisational outcomes and appeared to be a stronger positive predictor of organisational outcomes than leadership standardisation. Descriptive results indicated moderately positive perceptions of leadership effectiveness and organisational outcomes, while overall perceptions of uniform leadership remained neutral. The independent samples t-test revealed no significant difference in perceived leadership effectiveness between employees and mid-level managers. The study concludes that standardised leadership approaches offer limited value in diverse organisational environments and that leadership effectiveness depends more on contextual sensitivity, flexibility, and alignment with organisational conditions.
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