Leadership Theories
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The formal study of leadership is a relatively recent phenomenon that has led to a large amount of research in the field. As researchers have become more proficient in the study of leadership, new definitions of leadership versus management have been introduced, and new approaches to understanding leadership have been adopted. Major theories regarding leadership have been developed, with additional research uncovering often significant deficiencies in the theories. Nonetheless, business professionals are eager to learn how to become successful leaders themselves, and how to nurture those leaders who are present in their organizations. This research considers approaches to leadership research and major theories which have been studied recently.The ability to lead is considered by many to be a key characteristic of successful business professionals. The study of leadership has become an important and central part of the literature on management and organizational behavior for several decades. The field of leadership study is an interdisciplinary one, and publications on leadership can be found in management, psychology, sociology, political science, public administration and educational administration. In 1989, a journal devoted exclusively to leadership, the Leadership Quarterly, was initiated. Understanding the various leadership theories as they apply to formal organizations is crucial to managers and employees alike as they seek to determin
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e subordinates, task and organization serve as substitutes and neutralizers (Goodson, McGee & Cashman, December 1989, p. 451). There are a number of conceptual limitations associated with this theory, including a failure to provide a detailed rationale for each substitute and neutralizer. Some critics have also called for a sharper focus on explanatory processes which would help to differentiate between substitutes that reduce the importance of a leader's behavior and substitutes that involve the same leadership behavior by persons other than the designated leader (Weitzel & Green, Autumn 1990, p. 581). For example, the importance of leader direction may be reduced by conditions that make the job of subordinates simple and repetitive, or by the existence of other sources of necessary guidance and coaching. Another limitation of the theory is its reliance on categories of leader behavior that are defined too broadly to be linked closely to situational conditions. Despite these limitations, the theory is widely held to contain promise as an alternative perspective on the situational determinants of leader effectiveness (Wallis, Spring 1993, p. 26).
Normative Decision Theory
Normative decision theory identifies the decision pr
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Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 5741
Approximate Pages = 23 (250 words per page)
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