Date of Award

Summer 7-18-2018

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Organizational Leadership

First Advisor

Dr. Jonathan Greenberg

Second Advisor

Dr. Marilyn Saucedo

Third Advisor

Dr. Martinrex Kedziora

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this sequential, explanatory mixed-methods study was to identify and describe to what extent the quality of the leader-follower relationship, as perceived by followers, affects followers’ organizational citizenship behaviors in a public-service organization.

Methodology: A sequential mixed-methods study was the chosen design for this study. The first phase consisted of quantitative research in the form of a survey questionnaire that measured followers’ organizational citizenship behaviors. The researcher then conducted semistructured, face-to-face interviews that measured the quality of the leader-follower relationship.

Findings: Followers engage in organizational citizenship behaviors at a moderate to high level. Followers willingly assist co-workers and to a lesser extent, their organization. Followers who experienced a high-quality leader-follower relationship spoke highly of their leader, the opportunities they are given to be creative in their service to the public, and their ability to work as a team to accomplish desired results. Those who did not experience a high-quality leader-follower relationship cited only their intrinsic motivation and not leader influence, as the inspiration of their efforts.

Conclusions: Public-service followers go above and beyond in their job duties regardless of the quality of relationship they experience with their leader. However, public-service followers who experience a high-quality relationship with their leader experience a deeper satisfaction in their work relationships, in their contributions and in public service.

Recommendations: It would be beneficial to replicate this study in one or more public-service organizations to better understand the leader-follower relationship and its effect on followers’ organizational citizenship behaviors.

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