X and Y leadership

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to find support for McGregor’s Theory X and Y. Our aim was to investigate whether the relationship between leaders’ X/Y attitude would have a significant impact on employee work behaviour. Further, we wanted to see if this relationship were mediated by an ELMX/SLMX relationship. The surveys were completed by 25 leaders and 91 employees collected among 6 Norwegian organizations. By using self-evaluation questionnaires the leaders were measured on X/Y attitudes, and employees were measured on the variables turnover intention, intrinsic motivation, knowledge sharing, work effort and ELMX/SLMX. Factor-, correlation- and regression analyses were conducted using the statistical tool SPSS. None of our hypotheses were supported indicating that there is no direct direction between attitudes and behaviour. However our key findings indicate that leaders’ educational level plays a greater part in employees’ work behaviour than their inborn X/Y attitude. Implications of these findings are discussed. Nevertheless, the findings in this study must be seen in light of different limitations, hence more studies are needed within this field.