THE EFFECTS of STRATEGIC THINKING and POLITICAL SKILLS on TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP

Year 2017, Volume: 4 Issue: 4, 496 - 513, 30.12.2017

Elif Kara Ozturk Oya Erdil

https://doi.org/10.17261/Pressacademia.2017.757

Abstract

Purpose - The basic motivation of this research is the
observation of the effects of strategic thinking and political skills on
transformational leadership. There are some researches and investigations about
these three factors in the literature, but there is no study that investigates
these three factors with their dimensions. This study aims to contribute to
this gap in the literature.

Methodology - The research has been conducted with 496 companies
located in İstanbul, Bursa and Kocaeli which are selected from 562 companies in
Marmara Region from the list of 1000 largest industrial establishment of
Turkey. Nearly 500 questionnaires were sent to those companies and 283
responses were collected. The survey results have been analysed with
exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis and the hypothesis are tested with
structural equation modelling.

Findings- According to the results of structural equation
modelling; it has been observed that the sub-dimensions of strategic thinking
and political skills has positive and significant effects on the sub-dimensions
of transformational leadership. Variables with no positive and significant
effects were discussed in the conclusion.

Conclusion- The observed effects are the behaviours that are
expected from transformational leaders. Improving the skills of the leaders is
essential for a successful transformation of businesses. The research results
were supported with theoretical and practical suggestions for the development
of those skills and behaviours.  

Keywords

Strategic thinking, political skills, transformational leadership, structural equation modelling

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