Homework #7 for MGT3000

Organization Management
HW # 7
Chapters 11
Matthew Henderson


1. What is the basic difference between consideration behavior and initiating structure behavior?

The basic difference between consideration behavior and initiating structure behavior is orientation.

The leader who has consideration behavior is generally people oriented and is respectful of their subordinate’s ideas and feelings.  This behavior generally results in mutual trust.

The leader who has initiating structure behavior is generally more task oriented and directs subordinates to accomplish a goal.

2. Compare the dimensions of leadership found in the Ohio State studies, the University of Michigan studies, and those identified in the leadership grid. What are the leadership behaviors for each dimension?

The Ohio State University studies identified Consideration and Initiating Structure as people-oriented behavior and task-oriented behavior, respectively.  Consideration behavior is when a leader is respectful of their subordinate’s feelings and ides.  Initiating Structure behavior is when a leader positions their subordinates toward accomplishing a goal.  The study concluded that an effective leader would be high in one and simultaneously low in the other depending on the circumstances.

The University of Michigan studies identified employee-centered leaders and job centered leaders as people-oriented and task-oriented behaviors, respectively.  The more effective employee-centered leaders set high performance goals and where supportive of their subordinates.  The less effective job-centered leaders were more concerned with schedules, costs and product efficiency.

The Leadership Grid identifies five management styles on a scale of concern for people and concern for production.

1) Team Management has high concern for production and equally high concern for people.  This management style has organization members working together to accomplish tasks and is often considered to be the most effective.
2) Country Club Management has low concern for production and high concern for people.
3) Authority-Compliance Management has high concern for production and low concern for people.
4) Middle-of-the-Road Management has a moderate concern for both people and production
5) Impoverished Management is the absence of a management philosophy.  This management style has low concern for people and production.  Managers exert little effort toward interpersonal relationships or work accomplishment.

3. List and describe the five sources of leader power. What is the impact each is likely to have on subordinates?

1) Legitimate Power is the authority granted to a formal management position.  Subordinates generally accept (or feel obligated to accept) this source of power as legitimate.
2) Reward Power is the authority to bestow rewards to others.  Manager’s use rewards to influence subordinate’s behavior.
3) Coercive Power is the opposite of reward power.  It is the authority to punish or recommend punishment.  This will also influence the subordinate’s behavior
4) Expert Power is authority from special knowledge or skills regarding a task.  Subordinates typically follow superior knowledge innately.
5) Referent Power is authority from a personal characteristic which others may wish to emulate.

4. Differentiate between a substitute and a neutralizer?

A substitute is a situational variable that makes leadership unnecessary or redundant.  If employees are highly skilled and motivated, leadership is unnecessary and redundant.  The employee’s professionalism is a substitute for both task-oriented and people-oriented leadership.

A neutralizer is a situational variable that counteracts leadership style and prevents the leader from displaying certain behaviors.  If a leader is physically separated from their subordinates, task-oriented and people oriented leadership is effectively neutralized.