Group Presentation

Contingency Theory

Group 5: Tran Hoang Mai Duong Thi Huong

Ha The He Bui Nhu Hong Hanh

Nguyen Le Thuc Oanh Le Minh Tan Trung

Contingency Theory

Understanding the Model

Leadership Styles

Situational Variables

Strengths and Criticisms

Application

Understanding the Model

Born 1922 - is one of the leading researchers in Industrial and organizational psychology of the 20th century

He helped this field move from the research on traits and personal characteristics of leaders, to leadership styles and behaviors.

In 1967 he introduced the contingency modeling of leadership, with the now-famous Fiedler contingency model.

Fred Fiedler

Understanding the Model

There is no one best style of leadership. Instead, a leader’s effectiveness is based on the situation.

Leadership StylesSituational

Favorablenessv.s.

Leadership Styles

Task motivated

Relationship Motiva

ted

Leadership Styles

Task motivated: primarily reaching a goalRelationship motivated: developing close

relationship

LPC – leadership instruments

To measure the leadership style

Least Preferred Co-Worker (LPC) Scale

High LPCs = Relationship-motivated Low LPCs = Task-motivated

Situational Variables

Contingency theory suggest that situations can be characterized in terms

of three factors:

1. Leader-member relations

2. Task structure

3. Position power

Leader-member relation

Consist of the group atmosphere and the degree of confidence, loyalty and attraction that followers fell for their leader.

Atm: +++subordinates trust, get along with their leader

Atm: unfriendlyFriction exists within the group

Task structure

Considered as structured when:

the performer know the requirement clearly

the path to accomplishing the task has few alternatives

completion the task can be clearly demonstrated

only limited number of correct solutions to task exist

- Is the degree to which the requirements of a task are clear and spelled out

- Task that are completely structured tend to give more control to the leader,

whereas vague and unclear tasks lessen the leader’s control and influence.

Position Power

Position power: the amount of authority the leader has to reward or to punish followers

Includes the legitimate power

Strong: a person has the authority to hire and fire or give raises in rank or pay

Weak: vice versa

Situational Variables

The most favorable situation are those having good leader-follower relations, defined tasks, and strong leader-position power. (task-motivated)

The least favorable situation are those having bad leader-follower relations, structured tasks and weak leader-position power. (task-motivated)

The moderately favorable fall b/w these two extremes. (relationship-motivated)

Contingency theory is concerned with

a. Styles and Traits

b. Situations and Styles

c. Traits and Situations

d. Skills and Styles

b. Situations and Styles

How many factors can situation be characterized?

a. 1

b. 2

c. 3

d. 4

c . 3

Strengths and Criticisms

Strengths Criticisms

empirical research and predictive power

broaden our understanding of leadership

provides data on leader’s styles that could be useful to organization in developing leadership profiles.

do not require that leaders be effective in all situational

It failed to explain fully why people with certain leadership styles are more effective in some situation than in others

Fails to explain adequately what organization should do when there is a mismatch between leader and the situation

The LPC scale does not seem valid on the surface because it does not correlate well with other standard leadership measures

Unfriendly 1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8 Friendly

Unpleasant 1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8 Pleasant

Rejecting 1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8 Accepting

Tense 1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8 Relaxed

Cold 1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8 Warm

Boring 1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8 Interesting

Backbiting 1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8 Loyal

Uncooperative 1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8 Cooperative

Hostile 1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8 Supportive

Guarded 1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8 Open

Insincere 1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8 Sincere

Unkind 1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8 Kind

Inconsiderate 1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8 Considerate

Untrustworthy 1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8 Trustworthy

Gloomy 1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8 Cheerful

Quarrelsome 1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8 Harmonious

Applications

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Conclusion

- Natural leadership style, and the situations in which it will be most effective.

- The model says that leader are either task-focused, or relationship-focused.

- It doesn’t allow for leadership flexibility, and the LPC score might give an inaccurate picture of your leadership style.

Thank you for your attention!!