The Life cycle Theory of Leadership and Managerial thinking Process, Study notes of Leadership and Team Management

Download The Life cycle Theory of Leadership and Managerial thinking Process and more Study notes Leadership and Team Management in PDF only on Docsity! Otemon Economic Studies, 8 (1975) THE LIFE CYCLE THEORY OF LEADERSHIP AND MANAGERIAL THINKING PROCESS KEN-ICHI MURAYAMA* 1. Introduction—Integration of Several Theories on Leader Behaviors. Of late, several theories on business administration have successively been published, but it nas become increasingly difficult to integrally grasp the true ideas of such theories, because they are considered from different viewpoints among them. The idea of integrating such theories was announced" in the past from the managerial thinking administra- tion, and efforts have been made in the establishment of a unified theory. In 1972, P. Hersey and K. H. Blanchard made public an idea which was almost similar to that of the present author in reference to the leadership theory (4,). This is the lifé cycle theory of leadership, which substantiate the fact that it is a mistaken way to follow the leaders’ ideal behaviors as shown in conventional leadership theories, ie. the System 4), or the Managerial Grid(4)”. _This also stresses to convert the type of leaders dependent on the demand of environment, by quoting the thought of F. E. Fiedler(,) or of W. J. Reddin()®, and by taking a hint from the ideas of A. H. Maslow(@,) © and C. Argyris (:):°, further developing a new thought which the behavior of a leader should be converted following a certain rule dependent on the maturity of followers. However, without no mention about the idea on its conver- sion. afterward, this thought also reaches one type, which result in only one variation of the conventional types to follow after one ideal behavior. This thought, however, may explain various contradictions of conventio- nal leadership theories, each of which may be applied to the frame of the life cycle theory of leadership. However, it is not clear on what theoretical basis the leader should take such a behavior in each stage of the progress of the cycle. Thus, for further developing the life cycle * Associate Professor of Business Administration Otemon Gakuin University €1) 20 KEN-ICHI MURAYAMA theory of leadership, the present author has tried to arrange and to integrate” various methods of management ®0 which have been made on the basis of the past stage thought, and several theories. which are referred to the value orientation in each stage. Its theoretical basis lies on the managerial control of thoughts long held in the mind of the author”. In the following, its relationship may be clarified. Table 1. Table of the Relationship aud Developments of Various Management Thoughts 1 2 3 4 5, . Scientific Human. Management Creative Quality Management Relations Process Thinking Control School I | I i 6 7 ¥ 8 4 10. Theory X Hierarchy Development Problem Quantitative and of Needs of New bk Solving Sehwol Theory ¥ Products Ww 13 I Moy 15 . Managerial Motivation~ Changes in [Mecision / Grid Hygiene Production Thought Making Theory System feceececceepeee nee ete ciceeeeeeny 16. t 17 18 wot 20 Sysiem 4 Immaturity- Contingency Developing | { Tinking Matur Theory Organization Process Theory | Lo 21 | Tri ‘Adaplabitily Ecological Organizatinal Falue Dimensional KY Theory Adaplation — -S} Climate [| Orientation Ellectiveness Adaplation | | 27 8 : 4 Periodical Wide Attinde Personality | Atctude [] Range t| Conversion Adaptation to Leadership Circulation Cullurisim | [Each Process 2. New, Development in the Life Cycle of Leadership by the Control of Managerial Thoughis. First of all, the undermentioned are the points of difference between (2) be 1 THE LIFE CYCLE THEORY OF LEADERSHIP AND MANAGERIAL 23 THINKING PROCESS into three stages. In the new theory also, the process is roughly divided into three stages. Each of this rough classification is further divided into five stages, because the new theory mainly aims at solving the problem, for which it is essential to find the combination of causes and effects. Consideration should consequently be placed on the five factors of the cause and effect, their relationship, the sense of direction, and the field to think them over. These are applied to each of the three stages, which may result in fifteen stages. On several occasions, the author has published this idea, of which process may be listed up as follows: Classification. Imagination Trial Reality Definition | | . i - + ~ Field Grasping Hypothesis Standardization | Concept : Direction Orientation Planning Guidance Object | Cause ldea Investigation Practice ; Behavior Relationship , | Association Composition | Promotion Cooperation Result | Creation Verification | Valuation —‘| Value |! . —_ Definition | Freeness Faithfulness Restriction | Table 2 show each process in a diagram, of which definitions may made as follows: Grasping: Efforts are made ito find out a higher dimension than a conventional one. Orientation: To find a moral standard by which all member may think in the same way. Idea: To present as many ideas as possible. Association: To combine conventional ideas as many as possible so as to develop combinations of ideas: Creation: To proceed in such a way that the final combination may be made as desirable as possible. Hypothesis: To look for a test field which may be a miniature of the reality for a proposal which is supposed to be satisfactory. Planning: To make a plan of tests which may enable to clarify ail of the main factors of the proposal. (5) KEN-ICHI MURAYAMA Table 2. Diagram of the Thinking Processes < Direction Scope Causes Results Standard of values Imagination | Marks a Reality a oO e Grasping Hypothesis Standardization ©) S Planing Guidance Jnvestigalion Practice Composition Promotion Verilication Valuation ® Arte % 4 10. 11. 12, 18, 14 15. @) 4) THE LIFE CYCLE THEORY OF LEADERSHIP AND MANAGERIAL. 25 THINKING PROCESS Investigation: To carry out tests on the proposal in a state as close to the reality as possible. Composition: To find a group of ideal behaviors being realizable from the result of the tests, Verification: To judge if the result of the behavior group may be within the desirable area. Standardization: To determine the limits of each behavior which may bring about a desirable effect. Guidance: To clarify which behavior group is the most desirable from the viewpoint of the relation of all the behaviors. Practice: To arrange in such a way that all the behaviors are faithfully realized in accordance with the standard or the guidance. Promotion: To put back partial behaviors which are diverged out of a number of the behavior groups. . Valuation: To teflect whether or not the effects of the practices of the behavior groups are des‘rable, so as to take necessary actions later on. The reason why the progress in a severe direction. As described in (1), if there is a remarkable difference in knowledge among the managing staffs and workers the attitude is to be converted from severe one to mild one. If, however, the difference is negligible, the attitude to be taken should be inversed, because the unknown field should be developed by all member. Today, the latter example is often occurred in the problems solved at the offices or workshops. This matter will be further described later. System formation as a basis of attitude conversions. As mentioned above, in the case of a challenge upon an unknown field, fragmentary ideas, to begin with, are to be found, which are gradually theorized in an allround idea. They are substantiated, partially at first, and then synthetically. At first, they are executed in a limited section, and then with a consideration on the effective operation for the whole system. Thus, the progress may be based on the system formation. 4. Reasons why the new theory differs from other process ideas. While there are many processing ideas such as the QC circle, the C7) 28 KEN-ICHI MURAYAMA successively repeated, new ideas are to be adopted at each time, whereby the experiment may be brought close to the reality. Thus, all of a series of thinking processes are not always proceeded to be straightened out, but intermediate processes are partially repeated, through which the system is gradually proceeded. 5. Relationship between Managerial Thinking Process and Functional Organization. There is an environment, to which such process cyclic thoughts, as only one conventional unit, harder, be applied to a functional organi- zation. Consequently, for example, a group activity in the QC circle and the ZD program is often carried out independently of the functional organization. The management mostly intends not to take an active hand in such a group activity, as it is the workers and supervisors in the first ‘line directly connected with the job, whe have much knowledge with respect to the job. Accordingly, the group is not specially guided by anyone, but the members of the group are on the same line and cooperative for one another in solving the problems with a challenge on the unknown field, Thus, they solve the problems in a normal process, Here, a big problem is not to be handled, in that the position of the group is generally low. As a big problem with influence to a major degree has to be carefully handled, a specialized managerial system per each process is respectively established, comprising the persons having personalities most suitable to the characteristic of each process. In the middle-grade management, it may be supposed to be forwarded with the functional organization as the center. Each of the specialized systems should, consequently, have one of the individual characteristics of each process clarified in the life cycle theory of leadership. Hersey and Blanchard has opinions that the attitude of the 1. 1 type should be taken for the management of researchers, and Mr, Ohashi supports this®, This opinion may hold good, in that the research section is a primary stage for solving a problem in various business enterprises. This idea may also be supported from a viewpoint of the level in know- ledge. In the work for which the management has to obtain cooperation from the whole members of.a company, a periodical attitude conversion may be necessary, because, the specialization in the work is rather (10) THE LIFE CYCLE THEORY OF LEADERSHIP AND MANAGERIAL 23 THINKING PROCESS difficult. Consequently, the management shouldn’t look for only one ideal attitude, but should be broad-minded® so as to flexibly take proper attitude according to the development of a company”. If such an attitude conversion is not realizable, the management is to be reorganized. 6. Conclusion. . Actual Proof in the Life Cycle Theory of Leadership. In solving and developing several questions in the theory of Hersey and Blanchard, the author has tried to theoretically endorse several staged managerial methods. This, however, is only a logical prooof. While actual proofs are required for a scientific theory of today, such a multi-staged hypothesis may be substantiated with an extreme difficulty However, the managerial techniques in group process have been impro- ved, and are born by the introduction of case studies, mutual trainings and stimuli, or comments, for example, in the QC circle meeting. While this could be an actual proof in a certain sense, the author is strongly determined to carry on his positive studies of the problem, difficult as it may be. Main Reference Literatures 1) Paul Hersey, Kenneth H. Blanchard; Management of organizational behavior, second edition, Prentice-Hall, 1972. CD p. 28-41, C2) p. 50-53, Ch) p. 75-76, C1) pe 78, Cs) p. 80, Clg) p. 88, Gy) p. 176, Ci) p. 193-148, 2) Rensis Likert: New patterns of management, McGraw-Hill, 1961. 3) Robert R. Blake, Jane S. Mouton; The managerial grid, Gulf, 1964. 4) Fred E. Fiedler; A Theory of Leadership Effectiveness, McGraw-Hill, 1958. 5) William J. Reddin; Managerial Effectiveness, McGraw-Hill, 1970. 6) A. HL. Maslow; Eupsychian management, Irwin, 1965. 7 Chris Argyris; Integrating the Individual and the Organization, Wiley, 1964. 8) Joan Woodward; Industrial organization, Oxford Univ., 1956. 9) Joseph Basile; La formation culturelle des cadres et dirigeants, Marabout Service, 1965, 10) Alex Osborn; Applied Imagination, Charles Scribner's sons, 1953, 11) Jiro Kawakita; The method of developing good ideas, Chuko Shinsho, 1967. 12) Kansai Editorial Committee for Field and QC handbook; QC circle activity, NiKKagiren, 1969. 13) James F. Halpin; Zero Defects, McGraw-Hill, 1969. 14) Lawrence D. Miles; Techniques of Value Analysis and Engineering, McGraw-Hill, 1961. 15) The Ministry of Labor, Employment Security Bureau; PDI, TWI, PST Handbook, Maru- C4) 30 KEN-ICHI MURAYAMA ren, 1968. 16) Iwao Ohashi; Leadership in management of researchers. 17) Ken-ichi Murayama; a b e Quality Control for foremans, Industrial Eeffciency Institute of Osaka Prefecture, 1956. Standardization of managerial thinking, National Conference of standerdization, 1960. Managerial thinking administration and Framework of management theory, The Otemon. economic review, 1967. Total System of Quality Control, Meigen Shobo, 1971. Behavioral Sciences and Framework of management theory, The Otemon economic review, 1972. Comparative Study of Group Developments in Management, The Otemon economic review, 1973, (12)