TEST OF PATH-GOAL THEORY: THE EFFECTS OF LEADERSHIP AND FACULTY SATISFACTION IN PUBLIC BACCALAUREATE NURSING PROGRAMS (NURSING EDUCATION).
Contributors: University of Maryland, College Park.
Published: 1992
Number of pages: 296
Subjects: Education, Administration.; Education, Higher.; Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: The purpose of this exploratory study was to investigate the validity of path-goal theory through the study of relationships among perceived leader behaviors of departmental chairpersons of baccalaureate and graduate National League for Nursing (NLN) accredited public schools of nursing. The relationships between House's four identified leader behaviors (Directive, Supportive, Participative, Achievement-Oriented) through selected moderating variables including Task Structure, Subordinate Need for Achievement, Role Ambiguity, Expectancy I (increased effort leads to increased performance), and Expectancy II (increased performance leads to reward) to the dependent variables Job Satisfaction and Expectancies I and II were examined.

Path analysis using Multiple Regression to obtain beta weights for the path coefficients and homogeneity of regression were the statistical techniques used in order to analyze the data obtained from 509 questionnaires (72% return rate).

Statistical analyses resulted in rejection of most of the research questions and hypotheses. Since these hypotheses were written using path-goal theory, it was concluded that path-goal theory could only be supported in part.

Analysis of the direct paths indicated that the majority of the significant direct paths originated from the Achievement-Oriented Leader Behavior. Analysis of the direct paths from the moderating variables to the dependent variable indicated limited significance as well. The majority of these significant paths originated from the moderating variable Role Ambiguity. A very interesting finding was the inverse significant relationship between Expectancy II (the subordinate's believe that increased performance leads to increased reward) was found to have an inverse relationship to all of the Job Satisfaction dependent variables (Work, Pay, Opportunities for Promotion, Supervision, and Job in General) with the exception of Coworkers. Indirect paths through the moderating variables and indirect paths that combined the effects of various moderating variables were also examined and resulted in mixed results.

Implications for practice and limitations of this study were addressed. Further research in the areas of leader behavior and its affect on faculty job satisfaction, especially, from a path-goal theory perspective, was recommended.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 53-07, Section: A, page: 2197.

Thesis (PH.D.)--UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND COLLEGE PARK, 1992.

School code: 0117.