"Substitutes for leadership" is a new emerging leadership model of organizations within turbulent environments. Employee might minimize the "need for leadership" by "shared values", "self-managed work teams" and "cynicism". These substitutes would have further direct impacts on job outcomes as well. This study suggests that the higher the extent of shared values, self-managed work teams or cynicism, the lower the extent of the need for leadership. Also except cynicism, the higher the extent of shared values or self-managed work teams, the higher the extent of job outcomes. Data used were collected in two Kaohsiung companies, including an insurance agent and a semiconductor company. After statistic analyzes the results are stated as bellow: ¢¹. Differences of all variables due to characteristics of individuals. 1. The insurance agent: Employee are graduated from senior high schools have the higher extents of job outcomes than those are graduated from colleges. Sales have the higher extent of shared values, self-managed work teams and job outcomes, and the lower extent of cynicism than clerks. 2. The semiconductor company: No characteristics of individuals make a difference of variables. ¢º. Relationships between substitutes and the need for leadership. 1. The insurance agent: The higher the extent of shared values the higher the extent of the need for leadership. The higher the extent of self-managed work teams the higher the extent of the need for leadership. The higher the extent of cynicism the higher the extent of the need for leadership. 2. The semiconductor company: The same as the above. ¢». Relationships between substitutes and job outcomes. 1. The insurance agent: The higher the extent of shared values, the higher the extent of job outcomes; the higher the extent of self-managed work teams, the higher the extent of job outcomes; the lower the extent of cynicism, the higher the extent of job outcomes. 2. The semiconductor company: The same as the above. The empirical results show that although the substitutes regression model can offer explanation of job outcomes, the higher extents of shared values and self-managed work teams do not lead to the lower extent of the need for leadership. The reason that hypotheses are not approved seems to be the sampling. The insurance agent is an organization of the tight leader-follower relationship; the subordinators of the newly established semiconductor company of course strongly depend on the experienced leaders. Or shared values and self-managed work teams would not be the substitutes for leadership in deed. Or leadership could not be replaced at all!

The aim of self-directed team learning initiatives is to provide a further level of defence against an eventuality by ensuring that air traffic controllers are aware of the sources of human fallibility, and by developing in the individual controllers and air traffic control teams the knowledge, skills and attitudes that will result in the successful management and containment of inadvertent error. To gain a deeper understanding of self-directed team learning, I investigated the role and contribution of self-directed team learning principles and strategies that were present in the South African Air Force air traffic control team-based work environment. This research study was directed by the following primary research questions: Does self-directed team learning impact on the air traffic control work environment, and what is the nature of self-directed team learning’s impact on the air traffic control work environment? Insights gained as a result of this study contributed to the body of research concerned with learning design, development, implementation and evaluation by self-directed teams as well as the air traffic control discipline. In this mixed-method study quantitative data collection was performed by means of a self-directed team learning questionnaire and a learning approach questionnaire, whereas qualitative data collection relied on individual interviews and focus group interviews. This study involved 25 South African Air Force air traffic controllers (from three operational air traffic control centres). The nature of self-directed team learning’s impact on the air traffic control work environment was illustrated by individual and collective (team) views and dynamics. The impact of air traffic control team performances was traced in terms of identified teamwork characteristics, activities, dynamics, performance measures and focus areas and reflective practices. Results of this study indicated that self-directed team learning offered opportunities to individuals and teams to influence air traffic control performances in an air traffic control work environment. A perceived positive relationship between self-directed team learning and air traffic control operational outputs could be traced. Lastly I concluded that self-directed learning by air traffic control teams had an impact on air traffic control operational outcomes, thus contributing towards a critical air traffic control goal – aviation safety. / Thesis (PhD (Currriculum Studies))--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Curriculum Studies / unrestricted