PSYCHOLOGY MASTER'S THESIS ABSTRACT

Kathleen Valentino

Industrial/Organizational
August 1995

The Effects of Leadership Style and Behavior on Perceived Organizational Support and Organizational Commitment

    This study examines how supervisor’s leadership style and behavior influence employee perceived organizational support and organizational commitment.  The study analyzes how perceived organizational support, perceived supervisory support, initiation and consideration of structure leadership style affect levels of organizational commitment.  The study views organizational commitment from both affective and continuance perspectives.  Leadership style is situated into a perceived organizational support model as a work experience antecedent of organizational commitment.  Evidence is presented that positive correlations exist between employee commitment to the organization, perceptions of support from supervisors and organization, and considerate leaders.  In addition, higher levels of commitment exist for employees who perceive their supervisor to be high on both consideration of structure and initiation, than employees who perceived their supervisor to be low on consideration of structure or low on initiation.  The results of this study provide support for the social exchange view of organizational commitment.

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