Background: In recent years, a new generation has rapidly entered the workforce and when this happens it is assumed that some level of disruption will come along. Since Generation Z have only been in the workforce for short amount of time, there is a lack of crucial research regarding their perceived experiences. Because different generations are assumed to have different values, a prominent challenge for organizations is how to correctly lead them. In other words, leadership preferences may differ when a new generation comes into play. Problem: As of today, there is a substantial knowledge gap regarding Generation Z preferred leadership styles among entry-level jobs. This knowledge gap can cause devastating effects for future organizations. Generation Z is a force to be reckoned with and shall soon become a prevailing member of the labor market in the near future. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze the Swedish Generation Z preferred leadership styles, based on lived experiences in an entry-level job and to what extent they prefer transformational, transactional or laissez-faire leadership. The findings are expected to contribute to existing and new theoretical insights regarding Gen Z leadership preferences. Method: The research was conducted through seven qualitative semi-structured, open-ended interviews, which were analyzed using interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA). Results: The findings described Generation Z ideal leader based on their thoughts and lived experiences. Gen Z prefers a leader that displays individual consideration, inspires followers and acts as a role model. These characteristics traits bare close resemblance of a transformational leader compared to transactional or laissez-fair leader. Acknowledging these results could contribute to a competitive advantage for organizations during their recruitment and development phase of Gen Z employees.

Framfarten av nya flexibla arbetskontexter, såsom arbete på distans och via hybrida lösningar, medför nya möjligheter och utmaningar. Organisationer behöver bibehålla konkurrenskraft, ledare anpassa sitt ledarskap och medarbetare genomgå stora förändringar i vardagen. Det blir därmed relevant att finna hur ledarskap kan underlätta denna omställning av arbetskontext. Forskningsområdet avseende relationen mellan ledarskap och organisatoriskt engagemang har under de senaste decennierna fått stor uppmärksamhet. Inom fältet är det allmänt känt att transformellt, jämfört med transaktionellt och Laissez-Faire, ledarskap leder till högst affektivt organisatoriskt engagemang. Det är emellertid fortfarande okänt hur denna relation påverkas av den anställdas arbetskontext. Utifrån detta forskningsgap formulerades denna studies forskningsfråga:   Hur påverkar interaktionen mellan uppfattat ledarskap och arbetskontexten de anställdas affektiva organisatoriska engagemang?  Syftet är att förklara hur de tre olika ledarskapsstilarna påverkar det affektiva organisatoriska engagemanget och om detta samband skiljer sig under olika arbetskontexterna traditionell, hybrid och distans. För att uppfylla detta syfte genomfördes en deduktiv kvantitativ enkätstudie med 188 respondenter vilka arbetade heltid och talade svenska. Enkäten mätte kontrollvariabler, arbetskontext samt två väl beforskade mätinstrument, DLQ och OCQ. DLQ användes för att mäta The Full Range Leadership Model (FRLM) och OCQ det affektiva organisatoriska engagemanget (AOE). En kovariansanalys (ANCOVA) undersökte ledarskapet och arbetskontextens interaktionseffekt på AOE. Resultaten visade att transformellt ledarskap vid traditionell arbetskontext och distansarbete hade positiv påverkan på AOE medan transaktionellt ledarskap i den traditionella arbetskontexten hade negativ påverkan på AOE. Dessa resultat kan bidra till att ledare får ökad förståelse av situationsanpassat ledarskap, att medarbetare får en ökad arbetstillfredsställelse och organisationer en minskad personalomsättning. Det bidrar till samhälleliga implikationer i form av ökat välmående och minskade kostnader.

The study evaluates the perceived effectiveness of the leadership styles of deans in Ethiopian governmental Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges. The study was contextualised within the domain of relevant leadership theory in chapter 2 (with specific emphasis on the Full Range Leadership model developed by Bass and Avolio), and within the field of Technical and Vocational Education and Training in chapter 3. A mixed method research methodology was employed in the empirical research. The quantitative part received the most emphasis, while a qualitative part was added to attempt to corroborate findings. Quantitative data were collected from teachers (219), student council members (65) and deans (10) in ten TVET colleges using the MLQ 5x short-form questionnaire, which is a standardised questionnaire of high repute. The quantitatively collected data were analysed and presented using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The qualitative part consisted of semi-structured interviews conducted with the ten deans and one TVET Bureau Head. Quantitative findings indicated that the transformational and transactional leadership styles were observed far more frequently than the laissez-faire style. Perceptions regarding the effectiveness of deans, teachers’ job satisfaction and teachers’ willingness to make an extra effort were positively and statistically significantly influenced by the presence of both the transformational and the transactional leadership styles and to a slight extent, influenced negatively by the interaction effect of the two styles. Qualitative findings mostly corroborated the quantitative findings. Recommendations emanating from the research inter alia include: Leadership training opportunities for TVET deans should be scheduled to enhance the appropriate leadership style practice of deans (especially the transformational style); resources (human, financial and materials) should be made available to TVET colleges to develop desired types of leadership in colleges; as part of the selection process when appointing new TVET deans, the leadership style/s that applicants use at that stage should be assessed; a staff-dean-team-approach will be productive if the dean practises a transformational-orientated style of leadership. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Educational Management)

Business today is conducted within societies facing complex global challenges and unprecedented demands for effective, ethical, and excellent business leadership that proactively manages its societal impacts. Integrating economic success with service of the common good requires a sound, shared understanding of “positive” executive business leadership to guide executive selection, education and development, and practice. This thesis formulates and theoretically grounds a general theory of positive executive business leadership. Integrative Executive Leadership (“IEL”) addresses the individual, pairs/groups/teams, organizational, and societal levels of business. Within these contexts, IEL exercises positive integrative agency through multi-stakeholder professional stewardship, integrated performance management, and living codes of ethics. This requires the practice of five mutually-reinforcing positive behavioural repertoires: contemplative self-leadership, functional-relational facilitative leadership, full range managerial-leadership, visionary strategic leadership, and transforming-developmental leadership. These are reinforced by five positive philosophies or styles of leadership: authentic, moral, spiritual, servant, and wise leadership. Consequently, IEL is predicated upon essential competencies, attainments, and positive dispositions. Especially, IEL requires the cultivation of positive psychological states, traits, and virtues, eudaimonic character, postautonomous levels of ego development, psychological complexity, integrative consciousness and flow. In addition to promoting intrinsic morality, these farther reaches of human nature contribute to effective and excellent leadership performance. Integrative Executive Leaders do well by doing good. IEL was developed through multiparadigm theory-building, adopting a pragmatic epistemology, and employing a transdisciplinary, positive scholarship approach to integrate the findings from a broad range of qualitative and quantitative research from the humanities and the social sciences. IEL theory articulates important theoretical relationships derived from: leading insights from management and organization theory; salient research findings from the social sciences and the humanities; insights from positive psychology, positive organizational behaviour, positive organizational scholarship, constructive developmental psychology, transpersonal psychology, and integrated empirical ethics; interpretive analyses of the biographies of great world leaders; and, a rich case study of an extraordinary executive business leader. Accordingly, IEL is advanced as an emergent theory with both theoretical grounding and empirical reference. The path forward requires further transdisciplinary, multiparadigm, multi-method research to further develop and refine IEL and establish it as a grounded theory of positive executive business leadership.

Business today is conducted within societies facing complex global challenges and unprecedented demands for effective, ethical, and excellent business leadership that proactively manages its societal impacts. Integrating economic success with service of the common good requires a sound, shared understanding of “positive” executive business leadership to guide executive selection, education and development, and practice. This thesis formulates and theoretically grounds a general theory of positive executive business leadership. Integrative Executive Leadership (“IEL”) addresses the individual, pairs/groups/teams, organizational, and societal levels of business. Within these contexts, IEL exercises positive integrative agency through multi-stakeholder professional stewardship, integrated performance management, and living codes of ethics. This requires the practice of five mutually-reinforcing positive behavioural repertoires: contemplative self-leadership, functional-relational facilitative leadership, full range managerial-leadership, visionary strategic leadership, and transforming-developmental leadership. These are reinforced by five positive philosophies or styles of leadership: authentic, moral, spiritual, servant, and wise leadership. Consequently, IEL is predicated upon essential competencies, attainments, and positive dispositions. Especially, IEL requires the cultivation of positive psychological states, traits, and virtues, eudaimonic character, postautonomous levels of ego development, psychological complexity, integrative consciousness and flow. In addition to promoting intrinsic morality, these farther reaches of human nature contribute to effective and excellent leadership performance. Integrative Executive Leaders do well by doing good. IEL was developed through multiparadigm theory-building, adopting a pragmatic epistemology, and employing a transdisciplinary, positive scholarship approach to integrate the findings from a broad range of qualitative and quantitative research from the humanities and the social sciences. IEL theory articulates important theoretical relationships derived from: leading insights from management and organization theory; salient research findings from the social sciences and the humanities; insights from positive psychology, positive organizational behaviour, positive organizational scholarship, constructive developmental psychology, transpersonal psychology, and integrated empirical ethics; interpretive analyses of the biographies of great world leaders; and, a rich case study of an extraordinary executive business leader. Accordingly, IEL is advanced as an emergent theory with both theoretical grounding and empirical reference. The path forward requires further transdisciplinary, multiparadigm, multi-method research to further develop and refine IEL and establish it as a grounded theory of positive executive business leadership.