Leadership Paradigms
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Determining an alternative leadership paradigm in a selected volatile environment by Judith Bolt Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of commerce in the subject BUSINESS MANAGEMENT at the UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA SUPERVISOR: PROFESSOR RENÉ PELLISSIER July 2015 Declaration of adherence I, the undersigned, hereby declare that 1. The content of this document is my own work. 2. I adhered to the ethical obligations and principles of research ethics, as prescribed by the faculty’s guidelines for ethics in research, during all phases of the research process. 3. “Determining an alternative leadership paradigm in a selected volatile environment” is my own work and all the sources that I have used or quoted have been indicated and acknowledged by means of complete references. Name of researcher: Judith Bolt Signature: Place: Cape Town, South Africa Student number: 49030434 Date: 28 July 2015 Page ii Acknowledgements When I started this work, I did not anticipate the joy and pride I felt during the long and sometimes frustrating hours of writing it. I touched a topic that deeply interests me and along the process and research period, it even became a life and mind changing experience. Official acknowledgements: To The University of South Africa for offering me an opportunity to do a highly specified Master degree and for the financial support received in the form of bursaries. Personal acknowledgements: René Pellissier for her excellent guidance, constant pushing and her never wavering confidence in me. Without her expertise and her attention to detail, my work would not be of the same quality as it is today. To my family and friends who mentally supported me by continuously asking questions and showing an honest interest in my work. Their support and excitement motivated me to keep going. Finally, and most importantly, I want to thank my partner, Klaus. He was always there for me, in the good and challenging times, and he always found the right words to lift me up. He never lost faith in me and he is as proud as myself to have created a work that was part of my life for the past three years. Page iii Table of Contents Declaration of adherence............................................................................................................ii Acknowledgements...................................................................................................................iii Table of Contents......................................................................................................................iv ...............................................vii List of Figures.........................................................................................................................viii List of Tables.............................................................................................................................ix List of Abbreviations..................................................................................................................x List of Annexures......................................................................................................................xi Executive Summary.................................................................................................................xii Chapter 1: Introduction..............................................................................................................1 1.1 Introduction..........................................................................................................................1 1.2 The International Airline Industry .......................................................................................2 1.3 The Research Problem and Statement..................................................................................3 1.3.1 Research Purpose and Significance of the study...........................................................6 1.3.2 Research Objectives......................................................................................................6 1.3.2.1 Primary Objective.......................................................................................................6 1.3.2.2 Secondary Objectives.................................................................................................6 1.4 Research Constructs.............................................................................................................7 1.4.1 Definition of Leadership...............................................................................................8 1.4.2 Newtonian-Cartesian paradigm.....................................................................................9 1.4.3 Einsteinian-Quantum paradigm.....................................................................................9 1.5 Delimitation of the study....................................................................................................10 1.6 Research Design.................................................................................................................10 1.6.1 Research Approach......................................................................................................10 1.6.2 Research Methodology................................................................................................11 1.6.2.1 Quantitative Research...............................................................................................11 1.6.2.2 Qualitative Research.................................................................................................12 1.6.3 Research samples in the mixed methods design.........................................................12 1.7 Research Quality................................................................................................................13 1.8 Data collection instruments................................................................................................15 1.9 Structure of the dissertation................................................................................................15 1.9.1 Phase 1: Descriptive theory ........................................................................................16 1.9.2 Phase 2: Normative theory..........................................................................................16 1.10 Conclusion........................................................................................................................17 Chapter 2: Leadership paradigms.............................................................................................18 2.1 Introduction........................................................................................................................18 2.2 Newtonian-Cartesian leadership paradigm........................................................................20 2.3 Leadership Eras: The different lenses of worldviews........................................................21 2.3.1 Scientific Management Era (1900-1920)....................................................................22 2.3.2. Characteristics of the scientific management era.......................................................23 2.3.3 The role of leadership in the Scientific Management Era...........................................24 2.3.4 The Social Person Era (1930s-1950s).........................................................................25 2.3.5 Role of leadership in the Social Person Era................................................................26 2.3.6 The Modern Era – Leading in the 21st century...........................................................27 Page iv 2.3.7 The role of leadership in the Modern Era ...................................................................27 2.3.8 Leadership skills in the Newtonian-Cartesian worldview ..........................................28 2.3.9 The Newtonian-Cartesian organisation.......................................................................29 2.4 Einsteinian-Quantum leadership paradigm........................................................................30 2.4.1 Chaos theory and Complexity theory in the Einsteinian-Quantum paradigm.............30 2.4.2 The Quantum Organisation.........................................................................................32 2.4.3 Leadership skills in the Einsteinian-Quantum worldview..........................................33 2.4.4 Quantum leadership skills ..........................................................................................34 2.5 Gap analysis: Newtonian-Cartesian leadership skills versus Einsteinian-Quantum leadership skills........................................................................................................................35 2.6 Conclusion..........................................................................................................................37 Chapter 3: The Airline Industry................................................................................................39 3.1 Brief history of the airline industry....................................................................................39 3.2 Key sectors of the airline industry......................................................................................40 3.2.1 Definition of Legacy Carriers......................................................................................41 3.2.2 Definition of Low Cost Carriers..................................................................................41