The Effect of Laissez-Faire Leadership on Interpersonal Conflict and Work Alienation: The Mediating Role of Role Ambiguity

Year 2022, Volume: 24 Issue: 42, 527 - 545, 27.06.2022

Esra Ulukök Ethem Merdan

Abstract

Constructive leadership behaviors have been the primary focus of the organizational behavior field, while destructive leadership behavior, although quite common in business life, has received less attention. The main purpose of this study is to investigate the mediating role of role ambiguity in the relationship of laissez-faire leadership with interpersonal conflict and work alienation, based on role stress theory. The results of this cross-sectional study using a sample of 368 municipal employees from the Central Anatolia Region showed that laissez-faire leadership was positively associated with role ambiguity, work alienation, and conflict with co-workers. According to the results of the mediation analysis, role ambiguity mediated the positive relationship between laissez-faire leadership and co-worker conflict, while role ambiguity did not mediate the relationship between laissez-faire leadership and job alienation. Implications for theory and practice as well as directions for future research are discussed.

Keywords

Laissez‐Faire Leadership, Role Ambiguity, Conflict with Coworkers, Work Alienation

Tam Serbesti Tanıyan Liderliğin Kişilerarası Çatışma ve İşe Yabancılaşma Üzerindeki Etkisi: Rol Belirsizliğinin Aracı Rolü

Abstract

Yapıcı liderlik davranışları, örgütsel davranış alanının birincil odak noktası olurken, yıkıcı liderlik davranışı iş yaşamında oldukça yaygın olmasına rağmen daha az ilgi görmüştür. Bu çalışmanın temel amacı, rol stresi teorisine dayanarak, tam serbesti tanıyan liderliğin, kişiler arası çatışma ve işe yabancılaşma ile ilişkisinde rol belirsizliğinin aracı rolünü araştırmaktır. İç Anadolu Bölgesi’ndeki 368 belediye çalışanından oluşan bir örneklemi kullanan bu kesitsel çalışmanın sonuçları, tam serbesti tanıyan liderliğin rol belirsizliği, işe yabancılaşma ve iş arkadaşları ile çatışma ile pozitif ilişkili olduğunu göstermiştir. Aracılık analizi sonuçlarına göre, rol belirsizliği, tam serbesti tanıyan liderlik ile iş arkadaşları çatışması arasındaki pozitif ilişkiye aracılık ederken, tam serbesti tanıyan liderlik ve işe yabancılık ilişkisinde rol belirsizliğinin aracı rolü bulunmamıştır. Teori ve uygulamalar için çıkarımların yanı sıra gelecekteki araştırmalar için yönelimler tartışılmaktadır.

Keywords

Tam Serbesti Tanıyan Liderlik, Rol Belirsizliği, İş Arkadaşları İle Çatışma, İşe Yabancılaşma

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