Analyzing the Effects of Formal Position and Leader Legitimacy on Leader-Subordinate Interaction

本项目涉及正式权威和合法性对组织中领导-下属互动影响的实验测试。以往关于组织中领导力和合法性的实地研究和实验研究表明，在权威职位上的个人合法性影响其与下属互动的性质和质量。然而，与高度合法的上级相比，缺乏合法性的上级如何与下属互动，以及领导者的合法性如何影响下属对上级的反应或下属对领导者能力和权力的看法，我们知之甚少。一项实验研究将测试正式权威和上级合法性对组织背景下领导-下属互动的影响。目标是：1)制定新的衡量正式领导人合法性的标准；2)将正式权威的效力与合法性的效力分开；3)检验形式权威和领导合法性对领导-下属互动影响的理论预测。研究结果表明：(1)领导合法性对领导-下属互动的影响独立于正式权威的影响；(2)上级的合法性与下属对上级能力的认知之间的关系；(3)合法性如何影响领导-下属对话。

This project involves an experimental test of the effects of formal authority and legitimacy on leader-subordinate interaction in organizations. Previous field and experimental studies on leadership and legitimacy in organizations suggest that the legitimacy of individuals in authority positions affects the nature and quality of interaction with their subordinates. However, we know little about how superiors lacking in legitimacy interact with their subordinates compared to highly legitimated superiors, and how a leader's legitimacy affects the subordinates' responses to their superior or the subordinates' perceptions of the leader's competence and power. An experimental study will test the effects of formal authority and legitimacy of the superior on leader-subordinate interaction within an organizational context. The objectives are to: 1) develop new measures of legitimacy of formal leaders; 2) separate the effects of formal authority from those of legitimation; and 3) test theoretically-derived predictions for the effects of formal authority and leader legitimacy on leader-subordinate interaction. Results should inform (1) the effects of leader legitimacy on leader-subordinate interaction independent of the effects of formal authority; (2) the relationship between a superior's legitimacy and the subordinates' perceptions of the superior's competence; (3) how legitimacy affects leader-subordinate conversations.