Leadership Based on Path-Goal Theory in Organization Communication: A Perspective of Listening to the Labors� Voices

Priyowidodo, Gatut (2021) Leadership Based on Path-Goal Theory in Organization Communication: A Perspective of Listening to the Labors� Voices. [UNSPECIFIED]

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Abstract

The goal of this study is to find out the labor�s perception about directive, participative, and supporting leadership which is oriented toward the organization or company�s objectives. This research applies path-goal theory perspective as the main theory, and leadership and motivational theories as the supporting ones. This research applies a qualitative approach with a constructivist paradigm, and the research design is phenomenography. Data collection is done through field observation, in-depth interview, and virtual interview. Data analysis is carried out thematically by applying the NVIVO 12 application. The steps include data collection, phenomena structuring and signification (conceptualized differently), understanding variation (due to varieties of concepts), empirical manner, concept identification and space outcome. Data validity testing is done with a triangulation of theory and sources. The findings show that the labors� perception is constructed in two forms. First, hope perception in which leaders are described as democratic figures, who are motivating employees, participative and open to suggestions and opinions. Second, implementation perception in which the labors describe leaders as individuals who have a directive capability, tend to be authoritative, and do not take sides with the labors� interest. The novelty of this research is the boldness in adopting phenomenography as a research design that is typical in education study to be taken as a new approach in organization communication to elaborate the informants� perception. Another novelty of this study relates to the fact that this study elaborates the concept of leadership from labors� perspectives. The facts obtained from the field showed that gaps between labors� and leaders� perspective were quite high. For instance, the concept of �democracy� was rather unclear. Leaders perceived democracy as something related to freedom, while labors found it a form of �coercion�. The field data collection is very limited due to the Covid-19 pandemic situation and the enforcement of limitations on community activities (PPKM in Indonesian) in Java and Bali. The concrete contribution of this research is to enrich theoretical study on organization communication and on the implementation of phenomenography method.

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