The Characteristics of a Leadership Style and the Working Environment in the Organization - Research Paper Example

1. RESEARCH STRATEGY: The research strategy employed in this paper is the descriptive study. This strategy of descriptive study helps in presenting data in a form which is more meaningful and facilitates the researcher to understand the groups’ characteristics in prevailing and different situations enable them to systematically think about different aspects in certain situations, the researcher can also offer further research ideas and facilitate the researcher to rake simple decisions (Sekran, 2006). Similarly, in this case the researchers’ purpose was to understand the characteristics of police services department. The variable of interest in this research paper is the power of different organizational members and how it affects the ethical practices. For this purpose the researcher conducted a field study for two years and research project on ethnographic in a Local Area Command. 2. BENEFITS OF USING MULTIPLE METHODS OF DATA: In this research paper, multiple methods of data collection were used. The study and data collection process was long and extended to two years period. In this period of two years all officers and employees of the command were observed in everyday work related activities. In the initial three months the researcher involved himself in conversations with member of the command with vast role spread in different departments. This initial stage of data collection helped the researcher to know the main players and activities in the whole transformation and change process. The LAC was visited twice a week for 6-8 hours. After six months the process of data collection was extended to formal and informal interviews, observing naturally occurring and uninterrupted interaction, and also collecting data and information from organizational documents such as memos, flyers, public documents and newsletters. Hence, different methods and ways were used for data collection. This strategy of collecting data from different methods can be very beneficial as it reduce the chances of collecting wrong or biased data. Apart from this it increase the validity and reliability of the research results (Young, 2005) According to Sekaran (2006), almost all methods of data collection are somewhat biased, hence if one use multi methods and multiple sources for collecting data then this can result in more rigorous research. The data collected from different sources can help researcher to establish more strong links between different variables and the researcher can have more confidence in his study and results. As, in this case, the data collected from observations, conversations and interviews. So, if an interviewee provided wrong information it can be crosschecked through information from other sources, ultimately increasing the validity of the study. 3(a). THREATS TO RELIABILITY: According to Sekaran (2006), reliability describes how much the research is unbiased and in turn make it sure that the results are consistent and stable. The result of any research should be stable and consistent in any situation. Reliability is considered to be a concept of quantitative research but it is equally applicable in qualitative research and is more known as ‘dependability’ (Lincoln and Guba, 1985). The threats to reliability for this particular research design, for example, can be on the extent of research interference in the data collection process as he is the one involved in conversation and taking interviews. The researcher should be unbiased for any research to be reliable. Secondly, as the command under study was first informed about the research this can also leads to biased responses from the members. 3(b). OVERCOMING THREATS TO RELIABLITY: It is very important to tackle and overcome the threats to reliability in any research study. Only then it can be said that the results generated through the research study are reliable and valid enough to be used and apply in other similar situations. The threat to reliability in this particular research paper can be overcome through ensuring minimal interference from the side of researcher in the process of data collection. And the researcher employed for this process should be unbiased. Apart from this, it should be make sure that the data collected is unbiased and reliable through collecting it from different sources in different ways so that the data can be counter check. In this way the researcher can reduce the possibility of using any inaccurate and biased data for the research study. 4. EPISTEMOLOGY AND ONTOLOGY IN RESEARCH: Ontology defines the basic categories or groups of reality or truth, meaning acknowledging things which have existence. Whereas, epistemology helps us to know the reason behind the reality i.e. how one knows about the reality and how it can be justified and reasoned. Also, how that basic knowledge or information was acquired. It is important to understand and consider the concept of epistemology and ontology when undertaking research in order to establish an understanding of the interrelationship of the main research components. Apart from this, these theories or concepts help researchers to present and defend their research study and analysis with confidence. In this particular case, it is important for the researcher at first hand to establish ontology i.e. whether there is any reality in the fact that positions effect ethical practices in the organization particularly in police services. Whether there is existence of any such fact. Once this is established it is important to work on the concept of epistemology. How this reality was established and how it was known to the researcher. This both concepts promote the concept of theoretical framework and literature survey. The literature survey and secondary research at the first place helps the researcher to find the already existing reality of some fact or relationship. With the help of theoretical frame work the researcher tries to relate all variables on the basis of already existing reality and tries to explain that how this knowledge was acquired and how it can be said that the cause of depended variable is the independent variable. In this case, for example, that the ethical practices are definitely affected by the positions of the members in the organization. 5. CRITICISM: One of the main criticisms is that the respondents were aware of the fact that they are under study and being observed. It is a natural fact that people do not perform or act in the same way when they know that they are being observed (Bradley, 2007). The respondents in this case knew that they are being observed for ethnographic project and therefore their actions would not have been the same. Thus the data collected would not give a true picture of the actual fact and the results generated through this data would not be accurate. The respondents should not have been aware of the fact that there tasks and practices were being observed as the original field work method was the only method used to collect data. The study conducted was by observing the natural reactions of respondents so in order to make this effective the respondents should have been unaware of the fact. Only when the respondents were kept unaware of the research going their natural response would have been observed which would have been helped in creating an unbiased research results. Also the scope of the study was limited and this also would not have given correct results. Only one police service command was studied it is very much possible that other than the position of the members there values also shape their ethical practices. So in order to control this factor the service centers of different backgrounds should be made part of the research. RESEARCH METHODS ANALYSIS OF RESEARCH PAPER ON “THE EFFECTS OF LEADERSHIP STYLE ON STRESS OUTCOMES” 1. RESEARCH STRATEGY: The strategy followed in this research paper is the hypothesis testing to establish a relationship between different leadership styles and performance of individuals in stressful condition. The research studies which use hypothesis testing usually have aim of establishing and explaining the nature of relationships which exist between two variables in a situation (Sekaran, 2006) In this case the researcher has used co relational type of investigation in order to understand the relationship between leadership style and individuals’ performance. For this purpose the researcher conducted an experiment in a controlled environment, where selected respondents were exposed to certain videotapes related to leadership styles and were provided with a leader. The respondents were made to perform certain tasks in stressful conditions and their responses were observed and measured accordingly. This experimental hypothesis testing enabled the researcher to establish and explain the relationship between dependent and independent variables. 2. MULTIPLE METHODS OF DATA COLLECTION: As stated previously using multiple methods of data collection can improve the validity and reliability of the research. According to Sekaran (2006), if the data obtained from the different sources and through different data collection methods on same variable is highly correlated, it indicates that the credibility of research instrument and also the result of the research study. Although using multiple methods of data collection is time consuming and costly, but good research is the one in which the data is collected from various multiple sources and through different data collection methods (Sekaran, 2006). But in this particular research study the different data collection method were not used; only planned experiments were conducted and data to be analyzed was generated from these experiments. 3(a). THREATS TO RELIABILITY: In this particular case of research study the reliability can be challenged at many points. First of all, the contrived environment created for the experiment should be almost like the original working environment. It is possible that the stress level provided in this experimental study does not match the stress level in original working environment of the respondents. Secondly, the respondents selected for the experiment should be unbiased and should have been selected randomly otherwise this will also affect the reliability of the research design. Apart from this there is very high level of interference from researcher. As the whole environment and experiment is controlled by him. Although it is a qualitative research, but a certain mathematical and statistical model is employed to analyze data and formulate research. This also poses serious threat to reliability of the research design. The calculation instruments should be correct to ensure reliability. 3(b). OVERCOMING THREAT TO RELIABILITY: To ensure a reliable and valid reliable research study the researcher should take proper measure to overcome threat to reliability of the research design. As this is an experimental study so proper internal and external validity should be established. In this research paper, first of all the researcher should carefully select the respondents of the study to avoid any biasness and uncontrolled exogenous or nuisance variables. For this purpose randomization can be used in order to select respondents. In randomization every member have and equal and known chance of being assigned and selected for a group (Sekaran, 2009). The researcher should make it sure that the interference should be minimal, and the environment should be according to the original working environment. Apart for all these measure, according to Sekaran (2009), the experimental lab study has high internal validity but low external validity. The results generated from these studies usually have low degree of application to other similar situations. 4. EPISTEMOLOGY AND ONTOLOGY IN RESEARCH: According to Bryman and Bell (2007), the concepts of social sciences particularly epistemology and ontology cannot be separated from business research. Ontological assumptions describe and guide the ways in which the questions pertaining to research are revised and the way research process is carried out (Bryman and Bell, 2007). This helps in deciding the main research focus of the researcher, whether he is working on formal or informal setup of the examined organization. As in different cases and different purposes of study, different approaches are required for research design and for data collection. Same is the case with epistemological assumptions. Both social sciences concept have great significance in business research. The epistemological concerns are related to the questions as what is the up to standard knowledge in a particular category (Bryman and Bell, 2007). In the research paper under study, both these factors are taken into consideration. The leadership styles and response associated with them are tried to be explored first through desk research and literature review. It is tried to know that what is the acceptable information and knowledge about these factors in the business organizations. On this ground experiments are designed to evaluate and measure the factors related to leadership styles which have certain value and importance in the business organizations. Until and unless the researcher is not aware of the basic knowledge and information on the particular topic in specific field or category it is not possible to devise an effective research design and ultimately the research results have no significance and validity. 5. CRITICISM: As this was an experimental research study the main limitation of it was low external validity. External validity is a term that describes the level to which the research results can be applied and used in similar situations (Sekaran, 2006). The experimental research studies have very low external validity and the results have low level of generalization. Same is the case with the research paper under study. Secondly the environment provided in the experiment was not according to the original work environment in organizations. This also affects the response of the respondents, as the working environment has great impact on the quality and quantity of work. Another criticism or drawback of this research study is the manipulated leadership style which is different from the leadership style followed by original business leaders in the original working environment of the organization. The leadership style and characteristics depends on many factors for example the span of control, the level of subordinates etc. These factors are not incorporated in the experimental study. The experimental study in this research was formulated by non-traditional work task. The level of stress provided is not exactly the one which is there in the original working environment in the organization. The tasks respondents were made to do were different from the original tasks employees have to perform in the original working environment in original stress level and under the supervision of business leader of different style. Another criticism of the research study is the complexity of leadership itself. It is difficult to measure the characteristics of a particular leadership style. The characteristics of a leadership style depend on many factors and one of which is the inherent characteristics of the leader which affects the overall leadership style. Often two leaders with same leadership styles behave and respond differently in same situations. References Bradley, Nigel. Marketing Research. Tools and Techniques. Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2007 Bryman, Alan, and Bell, Emma. Business Research Methods. Oxford University Press 2007. Lincoln, Yvonna and Guba, Egon. Naturalistic inquiry. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage 1985. Sekaran, Uma. Research Methods for Business. John Wiley & Sons, Inc, 2006. Young, Charles. The Advertising Handbook, Ideas in Flight, Seattle, WA, April 2005. Read More