LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

INTRODUCTION: Definitions
Participative Leadership – involves efforts by a leader to encourage and facilitate participation by others in making important decisions
Delegation – a distinct type of power sharing process that occurs when subordinates are given responsibility and authority for making some types of decisions formerly made by the manager
Empowerment – involves the perception by members of an organization that they have the opportunity to determine their work roles, accomplish meaningful work and influence important events.

VARIETIES OF PARTICIPATION: * Autocratic Decision * Consultation * Joint Decision * Delagation
(Diagram)

BENEFITS OF PARTICIPATION: * Decision Quality * Decision Acceptance * Satisfaction with the decision Process * Development of Participant Skill

Research Effects of Participative Leadership

Research Method: * Laboratory experiments * Field experiments * Correlation field studies * Qualitative case studies * Interviews with effective leaders and their subordinates

Example Case: * Bragg and Andrews (1973) : Hospital Laundry Department

Effects on Participation:

* Research results have not been strong and conclusive. * Type of methodology blamed for inconsistency * E.g. Questionnaire data from survey of subordinates found positive effectives of participation, however, independent measure of outcome variables had weak and inconsistent results.
Limitations to Participation Research: * Lack of inconsistent results on participation may be a result of methodology problems with the research. * Weak methods used in much research * Stronger research have serious limitations

* Some studies were combined with other types of intervention making difficult to determine what consequences were due to participation

* Measure of participation consequences inconsistency

* Various forms of participation are effective in some situations but not in others
Normative Decision Models: * Vroom and Yetton Model * Revised Model – Vroom and Jago (1988)
Vroom and Yetton: * Decision Procedures * Situational Variables * Decision Acceptance * Decision Quality * Decision Rules
(Show model)
Revised Model – Vroom and Jago (1988) * Designed to correct some of the weakness of the Vroom and Yetton Model * Severe time constraints * Amount of Subordinate information * Geographical Dispersion of subordinates attributes * Uses only two (2) outcome criterion:- * Decision Acceptance * Decision Quality
Research on Models: * Promising results shown, however more research needed

APPLICATION GUIDELINES FOR PARTICIPATIVE LEADERSHIP
Diagnosing Decision Situations - Process to determine whether a participative mode is feasible: 1. Evaluate how important the decision is 2. Identify people with relevant knowledge or expertise 3. Evaluate likely cooperation by participants 4. Evaluate likely acceptance without participation 5. Evaluate whether it is feasible to hold a meeting
Encouraging Participation – Guidelines: * Encourage people to express their concerns * Describe a proposal as tentative * Record ideas and suggestions * Look for ways to build on ideas and suggestions * Be tactful in expressing concerns about a suggestion * Listen to dissent views without getting defensive * Try to utilize suggestions and deal with concerns * Show appreciation for suggestions